A New Start
by Recovering4life
Summary: Casey didn't believe it was possible to be in love with two women at once. He'd been in love with Halli for years but he'd never planned on falling in love with Katie, the second youngest sister of Kelly Severide's. Casey/OC. Casey/Halli. Future Kelly/OC. NEW POSTS EVERY SUNDAY!
1. One: Good Girl

Enjoy!

* * *

**Chapter One: Good Girl**

"…_You'll see a good boy  
Gonna give you the world  
But he's gonna leave you cryin'  
With your heart in the dirt_

_His lips are dripping honey_  
_But he'll sting you like a bee_  
_So lock up all your loving_  
_Go and throw away the key_

_Hey good girl_  
_Get out while you can_  
_I know you think you got a good man_

_Why, why you gotta be so blind?_  
_Won't you open up your eyes?_  
_It's just a matter of time 'til you find_  
_He's no good, girl_  
_No good for you_  
_You better get to getting on your goodbye shoes and go, go, go..._  
_Better listen to me_  
_He's low, low, low..._

_Hey, good girl_  
_You got a heart of gold_  
_You want a white wedding_  
_And a hand you can hold_  
_Just like you should, girl_  
_Like every good girl does_  
_Want a fairytale ending, somebody to love_

_But he's really good at lying_  
_Yeah, he'll leave you in the dust_  
_'Cause when he says forever_  
_Well, it don't mean much_  
_Hey good girl_  
_So good for him_  
_Better back away honey_  
_You don't know where he's been…"_

~ "Good Girl" – Carrie Underwood

_**March 5…**_

"You look like crap," Kelly told her as he ate lunch. They sat in their usual booth tucked in the corner of the Irish pub that wasn't too far from the station.

She rolled her eyes him taking a bit of her sandwich, "You're a great big brother."

He leaned forward and shook his head, "Be honest with me. How much weight have you lost and how willing are you to get drunk with me tonight Katie?"

"The last time I got drunk with you was Saint Patrick's Day and I had a head ache that last what felt like a week. Not happening. I'm never drinking with you again. And I haven't lost any weight. Black is slimming that's all."

He smirked at her with laughing eyes, "Drinking with me isn't that bad."

"Right," Katie snorted pushing back a loose curl of dark brown hair, "Kelly it was awful. I haven't been that drunk since college."

Kelly sat back and raised his hands in defense, "Alright you won't get drunk with me. I get it. Seriously though, how have you been Kit-Kat?"

"Fine," she lied watching him take a drink.

"Liar! I see red eyes and I haven't seen them that red since Patrick Swanson broke your heart in college."

"Allergies," Katie protested pushing the salad around her plate.

"In March? Don't bullshit me," Kelly chuckled as he took his wallet out.

Katie leaned back in the booth and sighed, "I feel an idiot. He keeps sending these messages and calling at all hours."

"He hasn't stopped calling? Katie you were supposed to call me if this kept going on," Kelly said as humor of the conversation being dropped, "How long?"

"A month," Katie said unsure.

"Katie! Have you called the police? This is now stalking and harassment."

"Would you relax," she snapped crossing her arms over her chest, "He'll stop eventually and I'm guessing he'll stop soon."

"You have to be the only woman I know who won't call the police when a guy is stalking her."

"He's only called. It's not like he's sitting on my doorstep threatening to kill me."

"Yet," Kelly nearly yelled, "Jesus! You think I wanna see my sister in a body bag?"

"When he does threaten murder me then I will call," Katie stated sounding slightly bored, "He'll get tired soon. He has a wife and kids that are eventually going to demand attention. He'll stop."

Kelly rolled his eyes and tossed a twenty dollar bill on the table, "Call the police. Dawson's brother is a detective. I'm sure he could help."

"I'll be fine Kelly. You worry too much. I've got to get back to work. I'll call you later," she smiled and scooted out of the seat. She kissed his cheek and just as she was about to leave, Kelly grabbed her wrist.

"Please call the police," he told her, "Sometimes you're way too damn stubborn for your own good and this is one of those times."

"Goodbye Kelly," Katie said again trying to pry her wrist out of his hand.

"One more thing, feel like coming to Easter dinner at the station?"

"If I say yes will you let go?"

"Not until you promise to come," Kelly grinned.

"Fine I'll go. Text me the details," Katie groaned as he let go, "I've really got to go now. Bye."

He watched her go and took another sip of his water with a smile.

* * *

Matthew Casey sat at his kitchen table late in the evening letting his thoughts drift around. It'd only been a few short months since he'd broken up with Halli and somehow he still missed her. She'd moved out of their house but he still found himself expecting her to walk in the evening. He still expected her to see her at every corner he turned. Pining after her wouldn't bring her back but he almost wished it would. They'd broken up for a reason. At the end of the day, they both wanted different things. He wanted a family and she wanted a career.

Halli had only wanted kids because he wanted them and to Casey that just wasn't what he wanted. He wanted her to have kids because she wanted them, not to appease him. They would both be happier in the long run if they broke up now. They both deserved better and he didn't want her to hate him years down the road for making her feel trapped with a child.

The house was quiet as he started at the newspaper in front of him. Halli, for as long as he could remember had been his rock. She'd been the one person he'd turned to when he needed anything. It'd had been five months since they'd ended things and the more Casey thought about it, the more he realized that Halli was the best and worst thing that could have happened to him. Meeting and loving her had been the right medicine when he needed but now he needed to close that chapter of his life and start another one. Life wasn't over because Halli left, life was just beginning again and he wasn't sure what to feel or where to begin.

* * *

Three weeks after her lunch with Kelly, Katie pushed herself the last quarter mile of her run. She hadn't lied to her brother when she said that she felt like an idiot. Greg Colton had seemed like the perfect man. He had a well pay job, he wanted kids, was handsome, smart, funny...

Everything a woman would want in a man. He'd been perfect and looking back, Katie wished she could have seen how disturbingly perfect he really was. The first few months dating him had been wonderful. He'd been everything to her and she'd fallen practically head over heels in love with him. The longer she'd dated him though Katie had begun to feel like something wasn't right. Greg became angry if she touched his things or answered his phone. He was possessive and easily jealous of when she talked to others. After months of strange and almost abusive behavior, she'd gone to his office to confront him about his behavior and end their relationship. What she'd thought was going to be a simple break up ended up being the complete shock of her life.

Greg Colton was married with a house, two kids and a seemingly perfect life. His wife had been at the office that same day to confront him about supposedly having an affair when they met in the lobby. They'd quickly put two and two together and Katie realized she'd been played. Colton had stung her on just for sex and had never cared for her.

When they'd gone up to Colton's office, Greg had denied ever knowing her and called her a liar. His wife Candice had taken her phone and found Greg's number. She'd dialed the phone and when his phone rang, she'd thrown it at him and unleashed a string of curse words that would have made a sailor blush.

In the end, Katie had left them with her heart and phone broke. Candice Colton had been demanding a divorce and the secretarial pool had gathered outside Greg's office door wanting the latest gossip. The day after she left the office, Colton had started calling her and leaving nasty messages while blaming her for every bad thing that had happened in his life since then. Everything from his divorce to his job loss to his children hating him could all be traced back to her and though she'd never admit it to Kelly, his words hurt. Just like everything else hurt.

It had only been three months but sometimes the pain still felt as fresh as it had when Colton snapped her heart in two. She'd felt for weeks afterwards that she'd never be able to trust a man again but her heart was slowly healing despite the pain.

She slowly down to walk as she reached the parking lot and took her phone out.

A missed call from Kelly flashed across the screen as well as a voicemail from Colton.

Speed dialing Kelly, Katie opened the driver's door of her car and slipped in.

"Severide."

"It's me," she said slipping her running shoes off and putting them on the floor behind her seat.

"You're still coming to Easter dinner, right?"

"Seeing as how I don't have a choice? Yes."

"Think you could do me a favor?" Kelly asked as Katie started her silver Altima.

"What is it?"

"Think you could pick up dessert for Easter dinner? You know something decent incase the dinner turns out crappy?"

"Alright," she sighed.

"Thanks. Love you."

"Love you too. Bye."

She disconnected the call and dropped the phone on the passenger seat. Just as she put the car in reverse, her phone rang again and Colton's number flashed on the screen. Picking the phone up, Katie sent him to voicemail. She ignored the call and pulled away from the park trying to think of something other than the frustrating fact that Kelly might be right about calling the police before Colton got out of hand.

* * *

Casey sat at on the bench in the locker room looking at his locker debating what he was going to do when he got home. In three weeks he'd repainted the entire house and was currently trying to decide between either starting on his plans to remodel the master bathroom or working on staining the new kitchen cabinets he'd decided to install.

"I know that face. That's your thinking face."

He turned around to see Dawson looking at him with amusement.

"What's going on?" she asked sitting down next to him.

"Trying to decide what I'm going to finish when I go home. Either staining cabinets or stripping the bathroom."

Dawson raised an eyebrow, "Seriously? For the past three weeks you've been in super home reconstruction mode. What's going on?"

Sighing, Casey shook his head, "Nothing."

"That's not true. Something is going on. I have a brother and I know when I'm being lied to."

When he didn't respond, Dawson sighed, "I feel like Shay should take you speed dating but all the girls would be lesbians."

"I'm not ready to date anyone yet," he protested.

"And I hit a target," she said, "Is this what's going on? The whole remodeling thing?"

"What? No."

"You're trying to erase Halli from the house," Dawson reasoned.

"Dawson," Casey threatened sounding aggravated, "I don't want to talk about this."

"Who are you talking to about this? Casey you've been with Halli for years and now she's gone. You haven't even gone on a date or tried to have a new relationship since then."

"I'm not ready to date anyone. I'm trying to move on. Remodeling is a step."

"You're sweeping everything under a rug," Dawson said, "So don't go on a date. Just try and flirt. I mean you can't block yourself off from the world anymore. I know you love Halli but it's been five months Casey. It's time to get back on the horse. Honestly, I'm worried for you. You look so sad sometimes Matt."

Casey shook his head, "Dawson…I know you're trying to help but I'm just not ready."

"It's just flirting, not date."

"You know the last time that I actually flirted with a girl?"

Dawson chuckled, "Maybe you could practice on me or get some advice from Kelly."

"Getting advice from Severide just sounds humiliating."

"What about getting advice from me is humiliating?" Kelly said walking in putting his phone in his pocket, "By the way I've got dessert for Easter dinner covered."

"Casey needs some advice on flirting," Dawson smirked.

Casey groaned and rubbed his forehead, "Thanks."

Kelly smirked sitting on the bench beside Dawson, "So you need my expertise? Let's begin."

"Oh welcome to hell," Casey sighed.

* * *

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	2. Two: Haven't Met You Yet

**Thanks to everyone who left a review, added this story to their alerts or favorited the story! It was wonderful to get to read your reviews and I replied to each and every one of them! For those who didn't review, I'd love to hear from you as well!  
**

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!  
**

**Recovering4life**

* * *

**Chapter Two: Haven't Met You Yet**

"…_.I might have to wait, I'll never give up  
I guess it's half timing, and the other half's luck  
Wherever you are, whenever it's right  
You'll come out of nowhere and into my life_

_And I know that we can be so amazing_  
_And, baby, your love is gonna change me_  
_And now I can see every possibility_

_And somehow I know that it'll all turn out_  
_You'll make me work, so we can work to work it out_  
_And I promise you, kid, I give so much more than I get_  
_I just haven't met you yet_

_They say all's fair_  
_In love and war_  
_But I won't need to fight it_  
_We'll get it right and we'll be united_

_And I know that we can be so amazing_  
_And being in your life is gonna change me_  
_And now I can see every single possibility_

_And someday I know it'll all turn out_  
_And I'll work to work it out_  
_Promise you, kid, I'll give more than I get_  
_Than I get, than I get, than I get_

_Oh, you know it'll all turn out_  
_And you'll make me work so we can work to work it out_  
_And I promise you kid to give so much more than I get_  
_Yeah, I just haven't met you yet_

_I just haven't met you yet…"_

~ "Haven't Met You Yet" – Michael Buble

_**April 3…**_

Casey browsed through the cold meat case that was next to the bakery at the local grocery store. He couldn't decide between either the turkey or the ham. Ever since Severide had tried to school him in how to flirt he'd been annoyed. Not because of what Dawson and Severide had done but because they were right. He had to move on and see other people. He deserved to be happy and if it wasn't with Halli then so be it. Looking around for someone to help, he caught a woman out of the corner of his eye. She was petite and dressed in a simple pair of jeans and with a t-shirt and a loose jacket. Her dark chocolate curls were piled in a bus at the base of her neck and bright blue eyes were encased by long dark lashes. She bit her bottom lip in though as she looked at the different pastries.

Suddenly, Casey found himself turning to look at her.

"The Danishes are good," he said without even thinking.

She turned and smiled at him, "Raspberry or Chocolate?"

"Chocolate," he smiled back, "While I like raspberries, there is just something about chocolate."

"I was leaning more to the vanilla cupcakes. I gave chocolate up for Easter."

"Brave woman, I think that I wouldn't have made it."

"I never said I didn't cheat," she laughed, "I tried but I made it about a week."

An elderly woman stepped and smiled, "Hello dear! How are you?"

"I'm good Marianne. Can I order…two dozen of the chocolate Danishes?"

Marianne raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Not vanilla cupcakes?"

Katie turned and smiled at him, "I never got your name."

"Casey," he stumbled, "I mean M-M-Matt. My name is Matthew Casey."

She smiled and barely contained her laugh, "Matthew Casey has convinced me that maybe chocolate is better than vanilla."

Marianne quickly put the order in and Katie phone buzzed with an incoming text message. Casey watched her as she looked at the phone and stuffed it away quickly. A loose curl fell and she tucked it behind her ear as she turned to look at him.

"It was nice to meet you Matthew Casey," she smiled, "I have to go but hopefully I'll see you around."

She turned and started to walk away when he realized he'd never gotten her name.

"You never told me your name!" he called.

She turned back and looked over her shoulder at him, "Katie."

Her phone rang again and she answered it. He watched her till she disappeared around the corner.

"Did she leave?" Marianne asked, "Young man?"

Casey looked over at the elderly woman who raised a brow at him, "Huh?"

"Did Katie leave? We have a new policy I forgot about. They want customers to pay before they pick up instead of at pick up. She didn't leave a number to reach her at either," she said worriedly.

Casey fished his wallet out of his pocket and opened it, "How much was her order?"

Marianne smiled, "Twelve fifty. Hang on."

He took out a twenty out and Marianne came back with a small post-it note and pen.

"You can leave her message," she told him, "It's obvious she likes you."

"We talked about pastries," Casey reasoned, "It's not a date."

"You never know. You might get one if you leave your number. I haven't seen Katie smile like that in a while."

Casey gave Marianne the money and picked up the pen. He quickly scribbled out a note and looked at it feeling annoyed that he couldn't come up with anything else.

_Have a Happy Easter. _

_-Matt._

"No number?" Marianne asked when he gave the paper and pen back.

"I'm not ready to date anyone," Casey said, "I just broke up with my fiancé a few months ago."

His excuse sounded weak to his own ears and Marianne even raised an eyebrow at him.

"If you're sure," she said, "Here's your change."

Casey took the change and left without bothering to get any cold meat for sandwiches. He couldn't decide if he was excited that he could still successfully talk to girls or he was regretful that he hadn't written his number down on the slip of paper.

* * *

Katie parked her Altima on the curb a little way down the street from the fire station. Turning off the car, she unfolded the small slip of paper that she'd found yesterday with the Danishes. Marianne had smiled and winked when she'd gone to pay and said that Matthew Casey had already covered the bill. In the five days since she'd seen him, she'd called Kelly vaguely remember that his co-worker and friend's name was Matthew Casey. Kelly had laughed her off saying that she lived in Chicago. There could a dozen 'Matthew Casey' in a phone book. The guy at the bakery seemed like a genuinely nice person and she was disappointed that she didn't get a chance to get to know him better.

Opening her car door and slipping out, Katie smoothed her hands over the soft mint green dress she wore and grabbed the black dress coat that was in the back seat. Tying the belt around her waist, Katie grabbed the two boxes of pastries out of the trunk and locked the car behind her. Walking to the door, Katie knocked once and smiled when a young man opened the door.

"You must be Peter Mills," Katie said, "I'm Kelly's guest and I brought dessert."

Peter smiled and opened the door to let Katie in.

"Kelly is in the kitchen with everyone else. I can take those for you."

She smiled and let him take the Danishes. Walking around Peter, Katie went to the kitchen.

"Katie," Kelly said giving her hug, "Glad you made it. Let me introduce you to the guys."

She turned her back as Casey turned the corner into the kitchen area and saw her. Katie from the bakery stood next to Kelly as she talked to Otis. Kelly's hand rested on her lower back as he guided her to the next group of guys and Casey clenched his fist.

"You meet Katie?" Cruz said with a smile, "She's nice."

"Yeah I've met her before," he bit out watching Katie kiss Kelly on the cheek. He turned and looked at Mills.

"Need any help?"

Mills shook his head, "Dinner is ready."

Hearing that dinner was ready, everyone quickly made their way to open seats. Katie sat down next to Kelly by the Chief and instead of taking the seat that was open across the table from Katie, Casey slipped down towards the end of the table. For most of dinner Katie snuck glances at him and he ignored her. All he could think about was the laugh that Katie must have had at his expense with Severide laying in the afterglow of their lovemaking.

* * *

It was getting late when Katie decided she should leave. Dinner had been wonderful but disappointing. Getting the cold shoulder from Matthew Casey had hurt more than she could ever have imagined. The guy at the store was the complete opposite of the she'd met at the dinner. She'd introduced herself again and had gotten brief, curt responses to every overture she'd tried to make.

Grabbing her coat and slipping it on, she said goodbye to everyone and gave Kelly a kiss on the cheek with a promise to call later. Walking out of the fire house, Katie let the cold wind numb her to the feelings of disappointment. She shouldn't have let herself get so excited. If she hadn't gone in with any expectations she wouldn't be feeling crushed.

Reaching her car, Katie slipped her hand into her coat pocket and groaned. Her keys were on the Danish box back in the kitchen.

"Lost something?"

Katie looked up in surprise hearing Casey's voice. He stood a few feet away holding her keys.

"Thanks," she said reaching her hand out.

He dropped the keys in her out stretched hand, "Severide said I'm supposed to remind you to call him later."

Katie nodded and Casey turned to walk away.

"Hey," she said before she lost her nerve or chance, "Thanks for buying the Danishes."

He turned around, "You're welcome."

"I'm sorry," Katie said.

"I get it."

Katie cocked her head to the side feeling confused, "Get what?"

"You and Severide. I get it. He's good looking and the moment at the bakery shouldn't have happened."

Laughter burst from her lips before she could stop it, "Me and Severide?"

"You kissed him on the cheek."

"He's my brother," Katie laughed holding her side, "He's my older brother."

Casey felt like the rug had been ripped out from underneath as Katie laughed at him.

"He's your brother? I thought you were his most current bed mate," he said trying to make sense of what had happened.

Katie had managed to stop laughing and unlock her car, "My name is Katie Severide. I thought everyone knew I was Kelly's brother but I guess when you're too busy ignoring someone over Easter dinner it's easy to skip that detail."

Casey opened his mouth to defend himself but closed it when she spoke again.

"You seemed like such a nice guy. I got your note and all I could think about this week was maybe, just maybe I had a shot at meeting Matthew Casey again. The same guy I called by friends to gush over for forty- five minutes about how amazing it was to actually get a note from a nice guy. I guess I was wrong. Have a good Easter and safe shift Casey."

Katie got into her car and drove off before he could say another word.

* * *

"She was his sister," Casey told Dawson a few days later as he paced in the locker room, "I made an absolute ass out of myself."

"You like her," Dawson smiled leaning back against the locker, "Matthew Casey actually likes Kelly Severide's little sister!"

He shook his head in denial, "She was nice to me and I was an ass. It's nothing more than guilt."

"Right," she smirked, "If that's what you think then why is it that you can't let it go? Every time I see you, you're deep in thought about how to fix whatever imaginary problem you think you made."

"I was an ass to her," Casey protested, "The least I can do is apologize to her."

"So go do that," Dawson laughed, "What are you so nervous about?"

"I'm not nervous."

"Don't lie."

"Fine, I'm nervous because yes, I do actually like her and I've shot any chance of getting a date or anything straight to hell. The last girl I actually wanted to go on a date with and asked out officially was Halli. Do you know how long ago that was?"

"You have to stop comparing everything to Halli," Dawson said leaning against a locker, "Katie isn't Halli and Halli isn't Katie. If you keep comparing them then you're dooming this thing before it even begins. Here's your chance for a fresh start. No Halli, just Katie. So today you're going to take a chance and talk to her. Go apologize and ask for a do over date or something like that. If Katie is anything like Kelly, she'll give you a second chance. I know she will."

Casey ran a hand over his face and sighed, "Do you think I should get flowers or something to go with an apology?"

"Yeah," Severide said popping his head in, "Katie likes lilies…I think. Or is it Kelsey that likes them? Anyways, sorry to eavesdrop but getting flowers will get you big points. My baby sister is quick to forgive but stubborn as hell sometimes."

"Who's Kelsey?" Dawson asked staring at the intruder.

"Younger sibling," he told her as he opened his locker.

"How many sisters do you have?" Casey asked confused.

"Three," Kelly shrugged, "Kelsey, Katie and Kay…It made growing up very interesting."

"Did your parents have some kind of 'k' fetish?" Dawson asked with a smirk.

"Funny," Severide smirked back, "Get Katie lilies. She'll definitely forgive you for screwing up whatever you did."

He left and Casey looked at Dawson with a nervous glance, "Do you think I should really get flowers or is that overkill?"

"Flowers are never overkill," Dawson said before leaving Casey standing alone in the locker room.

* * *

"Stop here," Casey said as Cruz pulled the truck into the high school parking lot where Katie worked as guidance counselor. He opened his door and jumped down ignoring the cat calls and well wishes from the guys on the truck. Walking through security and finding the main office, Casey smiled at the student aid who sat at the counter that separated the secretaries from the visitors.

"Hi. Is Katie Severide in?" Casey asked holding the flowers down so no one could see them.

"I can cheek," the younger girl said, "What's your name?"

"Matthew Casey."

The student walked away down a hallway and returned a few minutes later with a flustered looking Katie following her. She was wearing a tight black dress and Casey forced himself to focus on her face that was sporting a look of irritation.

"Thanks Hannah," Katie said giving the girl a strained smile, "Can you go get Mrs. Holloway to go sit with the student in my office?"

The girl moved away and Katie looked at him, "Matthew Casey. What on earth are you doing here?"

Casey offered her the lilies and smiled, "I owe you an apology for my behavior at Easter dinner. I'm sorry and you were right. I can and should have behaved better."

Katie took the lilies and shook her head, "Your apology is accepted."

They stood there awkwardly for a moment as Casey looked for the courage to ask her out. He went into burning buildings but asking a girl out was more nerve wracking for some screwed up reason.

"So…busy day?" he asked feeling like an idiot.

Katie gave a halfhearted smiled and looked down the hallway towards her office, "I don't know what it is about Friday that has kids thinking that it's a great idea to pick a fight before the weekend."

"Longer weekend if you suspend them for the next week," Casey suggested with a smile feeling a little bit more comfortable.

"I guess. Anyways, thank you for the flowers. I have to go. One of the students is waiting for me. I'll see you around Matt."

She turned and started to walk away when Casey realized he was about to lose his chance to ask her out.

"Do you think there's any chance that we can start over?" he blurted out quickly.

Katie turned back around and looked amused, "Start over?"

"Is there any chance I can take you on a date and we forget the whole Easter disaster?" he asked again as he confidence grew, "I want to be the guy at the bakery for you. Not the guy who was an ass at Easter dinner."

He watched as she grabbed a piece of paper and scribbled something on the paper quickly. She folded it and walked back with a smile.

"Here is your do over," she said before sliding the paper across the counter, "Have a nice day."

"You too," Casey called as she walked away towards her office. With a small wave at him, she disappeared through an open door way. Opening up the folded paper, Casey smiled seeing her name and number.

"A new start," he mumbled to himself as he put the piece of paper in his pocket and left.

* * *

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	3. Three: The Way You Look Tonight

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!  
**

**Recovering4Life**

* * *

**Chapter Three: The Way You Look Tonight**

"…_Yes you're lovely  
With your smile so warm  
And your cheeks so soft  
There is nothing for me but to love you  
And the way you look tonight_

_With each word your tenderness grows_  
_Tearing my fear apart_  
_And that laugh, wrinkles your nose_  
_Touches my foolish heart_

Lovely never, never change  
Keep that breathless charm  
Won't you please arrange it  
Cause I love you  
Just the way you look tonight

_And that laugh that wrinkles your nose_  
_It touches my foolish heart_

_Lovely don't you ever change  
Keep that breathless charm  
Won't you please arrange it  
Cause I love you  
Just the way you look tonight…"_

~ "The Way You Look Tonight" – Frank Sinatra

_**May 4…**_

Casey could remember his first fire. He'd felt a combination of fear and excitement. Those feelings were nothing compared to what he felt waiting for Katie to show up at the park in downtown Chicago. Every year from April to October, Chicago had a monthly film that was played downtown. The first Saturday of each month was the night when plenty of people sat down on the large slopping hill and watched the chosen film. The film for the month of May happened to be the original Singin' in the Rain from 1952 with Gene Kelly. Standing with a blanket tucked under his arm, Casey was more nervous and excited then he'd been since that first fire.

It had taken a month for their schedules to work out that they could meet in person but it didn't mean he hadn't talked to her. Text messages and very late night phone calls had become a normal part of his life. While he'd rather see her and talk to her in person, Casey couldn't deny he looked forward to hearing her voice. In a month he'd found out that Katie was probably one of the most giving people he'd ever met. She stayed late after work to be with students who didn't have much of a home to go back to with their homework help or gave a helping hand, a shoulder to lean on and a listening ear. Katie helped them try and make a better life and he could hear the pride and excitement in her voice whenever she told him about some of her students.

Talking on the phone and talking in person were the same though. Casey wasn't quite sure if he should hug her or kiss her cheek or do nothing. Kelly Severide's booming laugh sounded in his head while Dawson's calm voice told him to do what felt right. Shifting his weight again to the other leg, Casey spotted her before she saw him. Tight skinny jeans hugged her curves and a cream fleece jacket with light pink accents kept her warm on the unseasonably chilly May night.

"Katie!" he called across the walkway.

She turned towards the sound of her name and smiled brightly. With a wave of acknowledgement, she slowly began to make her way around the crowd of people. Matt stood waiting patiently for her as he held the small little piece of lawn that he'd secured for the movie.

"Hey!" she smiled when she reached him, "I didn't think I'd find you in this giant mess."

Casey was surprised when she hugged him but quickly returned the hug. She smelt like raspberries and flowers. It was a refreshing change from the stuffy perfume that Halli wore on occasion. Katie pulled back and Casey immediately missed the contact.

"I see you brought a blanket too," he said pointing at the black fleece blanket under her arm.

"I figured having a second never hurt," Katie grinned, "We should get seated the movie is going to start soon."

* * *

The movie came to an end almost three hours later leaving Casey feeling surprisingly relaxed. It had been a while since he'd taken time to just sit down and do something calming. Between working, remodeling his house and other people's homes, he barely let himself breath.

Katie looked at him smilingly, "Well?"

"It was a good movie," he conceded.

"Told you," she teased.

"Alright, I take back what I said about old movies being dull on the phone the other night. It's enlightening to know that Debbie Reynolds was once young too."

Katie laughed as she stood up and held the black fleece blanket that they been using to cover their legs.

"I guess not everyone loves the classics," she smiled at him as she folded the blanket in half.

"I didn't say I hated it," Casey told her as he stood up, "There are plenty of classics I like."

"Like?"

"I like Hitchcock films."

Katie paused in folding up her blanket and arched an eyebrow at him, "You like Alfred Hitchcock? I would have never pegged you as the type."

"Do I look like a musical guy?" he asked.

"I can't tell if that's sarcasm or if that was a legitimate question. Because if it was sarcasm I'd say that you really have a way of hiding that you don't want to be here but the fact that you showed up early says otherwise."

"And if it was a legitimate question?"

Katie crossed her arms over her chest and looked up at him with thoughtful look, "You seem like someone who could really use a laugh more often. You should smile more Matt. It makes you look handsome. Now you promised me ice cream afterwards remember?"

"I remember."

"You can also share all about you Hitchcock love that you never told me about."

Casey smiled and took her blanket and tucked it under his arm with the other one, "I know this little ice cream place down the street."

"Let's go."

The walk down the street took longer than usual as many others left to either get ice cream like they were or a late dinner at one of the many busy restaurants and bars. Getting their ice cream didn't take long and soon they were seated on one the many patio sets that were outside.

"Do you have a favorite music?" Katie asked before taking a lick of her chocolate cone dipped in sprinkles.

"I like a little bit of everything I guess. I've been listening to The Lumineers recently. You?"

Katie bit her bottom lip, "Frank Sinatra."

"What?" Casey asked, "Frank Sinatra? I pegged you as a Britney Spears or Lady Gaga girl. Why good old Frank?"

"What I tell you feel free to use as ammunition but you didn't hear this from me," she told him, "I love Frank Sinatra and that's only because when I was little Kelly decided to take ballroom dancing classes to impress girls and he needed a partner to practice with so he'd wake me up as early as possible before school and we'd practice in the basement listening to Sinatra. This went on for like three years and I'm ashamed to say that I know practically every song."

Casey's head fell back laughing at the image of Severide ballroom dancing.

"You can't tell him that I told you that. Okay?" Katie said trying not to laugh, "He'll come after me and I don't want to be flattened like pancake or whatever punishment I'll get."

"I promise I won't tell," he laughed.

"Good," she grinned.

* * *

Lying in bed the next morning, Casey couldn't wipe the smile off his face. He felt happier than he had been in a long time. He'd felt like he could've combusted last night when Katie had kissed his cheek good night. The more they talked, the more he realized that they had plenty of things in common. Hearing that Katie wanted children was reassuring too. He didn't want to have a repeat of what had happened with Halli.

Dawson had told him not to compare Halli and Katie but Casey couldn't help it. They were two vastly different women but they were alike too. Katie had the same sheer determination to help people that Halli did. They were both strong minded and independent. But Casey could also see differences in them too. Katie could be stubborn and could hold a grudge better than her brother probably could. Halli for all her flaws wasn't stubborn but could be secretive as hell.

A part of him knew that he had to let go of Halli but Casey knew that it was impossible. Halli had been a part of his life for nearly a decade and letting go of her would be like cutting off his own arm. But Dawson's voice rang clearly in his head again telling him that comparing them was a bad thing.

The new doorbell that he'd installed chimed and Casey pushed back the covers. Grabbing a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, he wondered who the hell would be at the door at seven thirty in the morning on a Saturday. Disengaging the lock and turning the handle of his front door, Casey was surprised to see a sweaty Kelly Severide on the other side.

"Severide?" he questioned.

"Casey," Kelly panted, "You gonna invite me in?"

Still surprised, Casey let Severide past and closed the door.

"Everything okay?" Casey asked as Severide survived his house that was in the process of being fixed.

"Yeah, I was just in the neighborhood running."

Casey snorted, "You live a good thirty minutes away."

"You're right but still I went for a run this morning and I ended up here. You got any water?"

Severide followed him to the kitchen and sat down in a chair. Casey tossed him a bottle of water and leaned against the counter.

"So you ran here this morning? I'm not following."

Severide guzzled half the bottle before capping it and looking at Casey, "My sister Kay is the baby of the family. She's just finishing her bachelor's degree in Physical Therapy. My other sister Kelsey lives out in California with her husband Marcus as an interior designer. Katie is my middle sister and she's probably the one I get along with best. Kelsey and I are a year apart and we fight about everything. Kay is ten years my junior but Katie and I are three years apart and she's my best friend. Now you're my friend too but she's my sister and she'll trump you nine times out of ten."

Casey gave a small smile and shook his head, "You're point?"

"You're a brother so you know where I'm coming from. You break Katie's heart I'll beat the hell out of you so bad I'll end up unemployed. So don't fuck this up. I think it's cool that you like her and I'd love to have you as a brother-in-law because honestly Kelsey's husband is a pussy but don't think I won't put my foot up your ass if I have to," Kelly said pointing at him, "Besides, keep you grubby little paws off of her."

Casey raised his hands up in surrender, "Fine. I won't kiss her in front you."

"Now that we've got that squared away, the boys are going over to Mill's mother's restaurant tonight for a drink and to watch the baseball game, you in?"

"Sure," he said as Severide's phone rang. Kelly took it out and looked at the screen before answering.

"What's up Katie? Sure…give me an hour…your land lord is an ass…Love you too…I'll take a bagel with cream cheese…bye."

Severide disconnected the call, "See you tonight. I gotta go fix a toilet."

"Is Katie alright?" Casey asked as Severide drank the rest of the water.

"Yeah but her land lord is an ass who doesn't give a shit. Thanks for the water."

* * *

"I've seen that look before," Kelly said an hour later as Katie opened the door, "Good date with Casey?"

"It was very good," Katie said as she followed Kelly down the hall to her bathroom where he immediately began to the process of fixing the temperamental toilet.

"Did you threaten him this morning?" she asked leaning against the doorway.

"What?" Kelly asked looking up.

"Did you threaten Matt this morning?"

"No! He's my buddy."

Katie raised an eyebrow and snorted. Taking out her phone, she scrolled through her messages until she found the one she wanted.

"Does your brother threaten every guy you date? Just got an early morning visit from him and was told that if I broke your heart, he's going to serve me my ass on a silver platter. Sorry to hear about your toilet," she read out loud, "Now does that sound like you?"

"A little," Kelly admitted, "But you are my sister and it is my duty to the universe to threaten, manipulate and beat up every guy who looks, touches or hurts at you in anyway shape or form."

"When Kelsey wakes up I'm forwarding it with an attached message filling her in on the whole story."

Kelly groaned, "No! She'll call and I'll get an hour lecture about some feminist bullshit. Please."

Katie's phone chimed with an incoming text and she looked down with a smirk.

"Who's it from?" Kelly asked.

"Matt, he wants to know how the toilet fixing is going."

"Nosy bastard."

"Would you be nice," Katie chastised him, "I really don't need to you scare this one off. You're the reason I never had a date in high school. You scared off every boy and Mom made me take you to the prom so that I wouldn't look so pathetic."

"You're still mad at me for that?"

She raised an eyebrow at him as another message came in.

"What does he want now?"

"He wants to know if I want to go with him to the aquarium next weekend."

"Are you going to go?"

"Yes and maybe I'll tell him another embarrassing story about you."

Kelly looked at her for a second before Katie shot down the hall running.

"What'd you tell him?" Kelly asked as he tackled her down on the living room floor.

"Nothing!" Katie shrieked as he tickled her sides," I swear! I didn't say anything!"

"Liar!"

"Mercy! Mercy! Kelly! Stop!"

"What'd you tell him?"

"Nothing! Mercy! Uncle!" Katie laughed with tears coming down her face, "Alright I told him about the ballroom dancing! Stop!"

Kelly stopped tickling her and sat back against the couch, "You told my best friend about that?"

"Now when you threaten to beat him up he has ammunition to stop you," Katie grinned.

"Kay was right. You're such a Slytherin."

"No. The true mark of a Slytherin is showing up at your buddy's house early to make sure that I didn't spend the night," she grinned, "Don't think I know how you think Kelly Raymond. You don't threaten boys until at least the third date in."

Katie's phone chimed again and she read the message from Greg Colton.

_Have a good date bitch? _

* * *

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	4. Four: Pocket Full of Sunshine

**All errors are my own:( Sorry!  
**

**Recovering4Life**

* * *

**Chapter Four: Pocket Full of Sunshine**

"…_I got a pocket, got a pocketful of sunshine  
I got a love and I know that it's all mine, oh, oh, oh, oh  
Wish that you could but you ain't gonna own me  
Do anything you can to control me, oh, oh no_

_Take me away, a secret place_  
_A sweet escape, take me away_  
_Take me away to better days_  
_Take me away, a hiding place_

_There's a place that I go that nobody knows_  
_Where the rivers flow and I call it home_  
_And there's no more lies in the darkness there's light_  
_And nobody cries, there's only butterflies_

_Take me away, a secret place_  
_A sweet escape, take me away_  
_Take me away to better days_  
_Take me away, a hiding place…"_

~ "Pocket Full of Sunshine" – Natasha Bedingfield

_**May 20…**_

Severide opened the door Saturday afternoon when Casey showed up to pick up Katie for their date.

"What's up?" Severide said letting Casey in.

"You're here?"

"Is that a problem?"

"No just curious," Matt said looking around the apartment, "Is your sister ready?"

"You're early," Kelly replied going to the kitchen and grabbing beer off the bottom shelf of the refrigerator, "Our mom showed up about a half hour ago for a surprise visit. Now I've been roped into spending the day with my mother."

"Can't be that bad," Casey shrugged as voices sounded through the wall.

"You're not going to wear the red dress?" a woman with a thick New Jersey accent said.

"It's an aquarium Mom. I don't need to wear a bandage dress. Jeans and a long sleeve shirt are just fine."

"You haven't told me anything about this young man. The only thing you've said is that he works with Kelly and that's enough cause for major concern. You know how your brother is. He has the sexual appetite of a lion and the dating record that would make any woman think he's a slut."

"Mom, Kelly is a slut."

Casey looked at Kelly and snickered.

"Don't say a word," Kelly hissed as he popped open the beer.

"Matt is wonderful and nice. I like him. Isn't that enough?"

"No. How's your sex life? Do you need me to house sit for you tonight so you can some nooky?"

Kelly choked on the sip of beer he'd taken and coughed hard. Casey grinned and whacked him on the back.

"Fuck," Kelly coughed.

"No mother! Jesus, Mary and Joseph!" Katie said, her voice floating through the wall.

"What? I'm just saying honey. He sounds like a handsome man! And when was the last time you climaxed? I just got a few new brochures on a few new toys if you want to look at them. Let me get them."

"Mother!" Katie nearly shrieked and Kelly choked on the beer in his hand

"You have a clitoris! Use it!"

Casey leaned forward on the counter trying not to laugh as Mrs. Severide continued on, "Honey you need to do it regularly. You sound stressed out and I didn't raise you to be ashamed of your body. If you're against toys give that man of yours a few minutes and you'll blow like Krakatoa."

"Mother!"

"Honey you're tangled up tighter than a ball of yarn! I'm just saying that if you wanna have sexual intercourse with the guy there's nothing wrong with it. Go for it! I'm just asking when the last time you did anything sexual that resulted in you climaxing was because as your mother and a sex therapist I'm concerned. You're not even thirty yet and you're on a decline!"

"Decline?! Mother! I'm not on any decline."

"You can't even tell me when the last time you climaxed was because I bet you can't even remember. If you wanna quick session in the women's masturbation group therapy that I have on Thursday night you're welcome to come and talk about all that tension and stress in your life. You know that stress can affect your orgasms, right?"

Something that sounded like a mix between laughing and crying came through the wall.

"Oh honey! It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I mean how many times did you climax with Greg? Twice in the whole time you dated the smuck? You might wanna know ahead of time what you're dealing with this time. The man might be terrible if you know what I mean and let's be honest while all that romantic crap is important, if he can't do the job and hit a home run, then there's no point in keeping him around. You need to find out what his HR count is."

"End of conversation," Katie said forcefully, "Matt will be here soon so please behave. I haven't told him about you."

"You've known the guy for almost two months know and you haven't mentioned me? I'm insulted! I'm your mother for God's sake!"

"One doesn't really bring up that their mother is a sex therapist on the first date."

"One also doesn't lie to their mother about said dates. If I hadn't come over to see Woody and intercept Kelly I would have never known about this Matthew Casey boy," Katie's mother retorted back.

"I can't believe you named the cat that."

"What? You're father likes it!"

"Dad is allergic to cats."

"It's not my fault every time your father had an erection the cat would come over and beg to be petted."

"Mother!"

"What? That's why we named the cat that! You asked."

Casey pressed his lips together to stop himself from laughing as a door opened. Katie turned the corner and nearly collided with Casey when she walked into the kitchen. She looked at him shocked. Her mouth opened and closed like a fish.

"What is it honey?"

"Uh…"

"Matt's here," Kelly said with a grin at his sister as he picked up the gray cat off the counter, "I was just showing him Woody."

"I'll go get my shoes," Katie mumbled sporting two bright red cheeks before high tailing it out of the kitchen. Casey watched amused as she walked around the woman he assumed to be her mother.

"Was it something I said?" the woman asked looking confused. She was an attractive woman with thick dark frizzy hair with stripes of steel gray piled on top of her head. An embellished headband held some of her hair back from her face and half-moon spectacles with blue tinted lens balance on her crooked nose that looked like it had broken several times.

"You must be Matt!" she gushed in a thick New Jersey accent, "You're certainly are the looker! I'm Roxanne, Kelly and Katie's mother! It's so nice to meet you."

Casey was surprised when she gave him a warm hug. She pulled back and looked over him with a critical eye before turning to Kelly. The many thick bracelets she wore around her wrists clinked and clanked together as she walked to her son barefoot. Two neon colored scarfs around her neck and a bright muumuu was testing his strength not to laugh at the woman. She looked silly but somehow, Casey thought the outfit fit her personality from the little he'd heard from her. She quickly gave Kelly a hug hello.

"You feel thin and you haven't been returning my phone calls. What's the matter? You're still hung up on that Renee girl? Honey I told you it would all blow over," Roxanne said kissing both of Kelly's cheeks, "We need to have a serious conversation about you too. I'm worried about all my babies. We'll go get some lunch and then talk. Chinese sound good? Don't say anything about Mexican like I know you will. You're father has been eating it left and right and now he's got gas that you'd even wanna know about. Speaking of gas, can you do me a favor and look at the plumbing upstairs next time you come over. You're father hasn't done it yet and it's driving me nuts that I have to share a bathroom with him. Sharing the bed is fine. The bathroom not so much but I'll tell you all about it over lunch."

"Mom," Kelly said as Katie came walking back in the kitchen with white flats on and an anxious expression on her face.

"What Kelly Dana Severide?" Roxanne asked again, "Both you and your sister have been doing 'the mother thing' today and it's annoying."

Casey covered his mouth to stop the laughter from bubbling out of his mouth at hearing Kelly's full name. Kelly shot a glare before clearing his throat.

"Mom I don't mean to sound rude but I think that Matt and Katie are ready to go," he told her scratching the back of his next uncomfortably.

"Oh. Okay, Kelly and I will go get lunch but don't think our conversation about you know what is over Katherine Debra," Roxanne said pointing a long French manicured finger at Katie, "Just call if you need me to apartment sit for you honey. Chicago is such a violent city. I don't know why the hell your father likes it here there is always something on the news about something bad happening. Guns and all that other gang crap. I think your father enjoys getting on my nerves. Honestly if I had my way we'd be living in the Keys but no. I'll talk you later Matthew honey. It was such a pleasure to meet you."

"It was nice to meet you Mrs. Severide."

"Roxanne please," she said giving Katie a hug, "Mrs. Severide is my mother-in-law."

Casey nearly laughed when he saw Katie look down at her feet and mumble something that sounded like 'Thank God' as Roxanne walked out the front door with Kelly following.

"Hope you and Woody have a great evening together sis," Kelly grinned as Katie blushed furiously and raised her hand to give a gesture that Casey couldn't see but suspected was the middle finger. Severide laughed and closed the door behind him. Katie turned to look at him and was still blushing furiously.

"Ready?" she asked.

"Only if you are," Casey grinned again trying not to laugh at her rosy cheeks. It was become a real turn on.

* * *

Katie had been silent most of the drive to Shedd Aquarium and through the Aquarium itself. They stood next to each other in the shark tunnel as they watched the predators swim around.

"So when was the last time you climaxed?" Casey asked casually without even thinking about it. Ever since Roxanne Severide had posed the question Casey had been asking himself the same question. Katie turned and looked at him while she tried to hold back a smile.

"Wouldn't you wanna know," she taunted.

"I'm just curious," Matt shrugged as the leaned against the glass next to her, "Like your mom."

"You heard that entire conversation didn't you?"

"The walls in your apartment are thin."

Katie groaned and rested her forehead on the glass, "My mother is a sex therapist if you haven't figured it out yet. She loves to talk and missed the line up in heaven where they offer up…"

"Tact?" Casey filled in.

"And then some. She is always asking questions, giving advice and...I think she enjoys seeing just how red we can go at dinner or anywhere."

"You look cute with rosy cheeks," he teased.

"Last October," she told him before walking down into the tunnel further, "You?"

Casey followed her as she lay down on the wide bench and looked up at the sharks swimming above them. Lying down next to her, he crossed his ankles and laced his fingers together over his chest.

"Yesterday morning," he admitted to her with a small grin.

"At least one of us," she mumbled and he chuckled. They laid in silence for a while before Casey cleared his throat.

"Can I ask you a question?"

Katie looked over at him curiously, "If it's another sex question I expect there to be action afterwards."

"It's not. Sorry," Matt admitted, "It's about something your mom said. She called the guy named Greg a smuck. I've also heard your brother mention him at work. Who's this Greg guy? An ex?"

Katie looked back up at the sharks and sighed.

"He was this advertising executive that I met at a party I'd gone to with my friend Becky. One minute I'm talking to him about the weather and the next minute I'm agreeing to go on a date," she said after a few minutes of silence, "He was perfect at first. Nice, charming, even Kelly liked him which was a good sign. But things went downhill really fast Matt. He had this temper…I've never seen someone get as angry as he did over little things like how laundry was folded or moving a phone off the counter. He was possessive and verbally abusive. After a while something just didn't seem right and the night before we broke up I asked him if he was lying about something and he became angry and defensive. He pushed me into the glass coffee table I have and left. I called Kelly and what had happened. He instantly came over and took me to the hospital. It took several stitches and some glue to patch me up. The next day I went to his office and found out that he was married, he had two kids and a house in the suburbs. It was like a smack in the face."

"Have you talked to him since that day?" Casey asked.

Katie paused and looked over at him.

"No," she lied as her phone beeped. Taking out the phone, Katie sat up and looked over at Matt who had closed his eyes. Opening the text message, Katie felt her stomach drop. It was a picture of a puppy with its stomach ripped open and paws cut off. The puppy's face was mutilated and the guts had been smeared on the floor.

_You're next bitch. You took my home, family and job. I'll take the thing you value the most. You're life. It's not a threat but a promise. _

She must have gasped because she felt Casey's warm hand against her lower back.

"Is everything okay?" he asked quietly.

"Yeah," Katie lied putting her phone away with a shaky hand, "Everything is fine."

* * *

"What?" Kelly yelled over the phone as Katie stood in the women's restroom of the restaurant that she and Casey had gone to for dinner. She yanked the phone away from her ear as Kelly let loose a string of curses that would have had a sailor blushing.

"Kelly," Katie tried but was shut down.

"Have you called the police yet?" he thundered.

"No."

"Have you told Matt about the message?"

"No."

"You're an idiot! You're playing Russian roulette with this guy Katherine and he's going to shoot you! You think I wanna bury another woman in my life? Don't you remember what happen to Sophia? You think I want that to be you? I'm calling Dawson's brother whether you like it or not Katie. I know that you've been saving the messages and I'll print them out myself and give them to him-"

"Would you please shut up," Katie said tearfully as her voice cracked, "You'd don't think I know that he'll hurt me? After pushing me through a glass table I don't doubt anything. The whole point of calling you was to get the police involved."

There was a long pause on the other end of the phone before Kelly sighed, "I'll call him tonight. Just be careful and if anything happens please call me. Don't do that whole stubborn thing you do."

"I promise," Katie said before ending the call. She walked out of the stall. Looking in the mirror, thankfully no mascara had smeared and there was little evidence of her tears. Slipping her phone in her pocket, Katie squared her shoulders and opened the door. She easily spotted Matt in the corner on the phone taking care of the bill.

"I will…I agree…call and tell me how it goes…I will tell her…Bye."

Casey hung up as he sighed the cheek and looked up at her, "You alright?"

"Yeah…why?"

"Nothing, you just look…upset."

"Everything's fine."

Casey nodded, "Ready?"

Katie nodded still feeling that sinking feeling as she felt her pocket buzz with another text message. Greg had been sending her message after message detailing exactly how he'd rape her and kill her. Everything was in extensive details from what kind of tools he'd use to the kind of pain she'd experience.

Getting into Casey's truck, Katie zoned out to the music on the radio as she lived in dread of when Colton would send the next message. It was different than him sending messages calling her a whore and a bitch. No, Greg sending death threats and telling her exactly what he was going to do was worse, much worse. It was a whole new level of scary. The truth was that she knew that Greg was probably more than capable of doing what he threatened. She'd given her brother and Casey the abridged version of what had happened with Greg the night after he'd pushed her through the coffee table.

She'd never really told anyone about the real Greg, not even Kelly. Only in the last month of their relationship did his true side come out but by then the only thing she'd wanted to do was forget the thing had ever happened. Katie was startled out of her thoughts when a warm hand touched her knee. Jerking her head to look to the left, she was surprised to see Matt looking at her.

"You alright?" he asked looking at her with concern.

"Sorry," Katie mumbled sliding out of the truck. She was surprised when she looked up to see them standing outside a large stone house not her apartment building.

"My house," Casey explained as they walked up the steps to the large front porch.

"Why-"

"Severide called. Maybe you could tell me the truth about Greg Colton because I don't think you've told me or Kelly half of what's really going on," he said trying to keep his voice as even as possible. One false step and Katie would probably turn into a hissing and spitting cat with claws if he pried too much.

They both heard the phone in her pocket vibrate again. Katie body stiffened and she looked down at the pocket. Taking a step towards her, Casey gently slipped the phone out of her jean pocket and looked at the screen.

_17 New Messages_

Clicking open the most current one, Chase felt his teeth nearly shatter as he clenched his jaw.

_The police just left you bitch. You best say you're prayers, you'll be lucky if you make it till the end of the week._

Shutting off the phone, Casey slipped it into his pocket and looked down at Katie.

"Let's go inside," he said taking her hand gently. She let him pull her into the house. Locking the door, Casey watched her hug herself and look around the living room. Most of the house was still in chaos and he wished that the place wasn't so messy.

"It looks nice," Katie said quietly trying to figure out where to walk in between the tools.

"Sorry for the mess," Casey told her, "I normally go through the back door but I forgot about…all this crap."

"Are you remodeling?"

"Yeah, I got the house really cheap and I've been working on restoring it."

She nodded and turned to look at him, "Can I have my phone back?"

"I don't think you wanna know what's on it."

"Matthew I'm not a child. Give it back," Katie said with an edge in her voice.

Sighing Casey slipped it out and walked over to her. She extended her and snatched it back.

"There's no point in reading it Katie. He's not going to anything that he threatens to in those messages."

She looked up at him and shook her head, "You don't know him like I do. Believe me when I say that once he's angry there's really no stopping him."

Katie went to the kitchen quickly and he followed her.

"I can't help you Katie if you don't tell me what's happening," Casey tried again, "Please let me help you."

He watched her rest her hands on the counter and look down. Crossing his arms over his chest and leaning on the counter opposite her, Casey sighed.

"Talk to me please," he told her quietly.

She turned around and looked at him. Taking her phone and turning it on, Katie opened up the message with the picture of the mutilated puppy. Giving the phone, Katie rubbed her forehead and looked at him tiredly.

"Every bad thing that has happened to him since I met him has been my fault or at least that's what he thinks. His divorce, his kids hating him...losing his job...everything. Whenever something bad happens he's verbally abusive. In the last few weeks of our relationship he became violent… he'd bite me, scratch my skin, push me...anything to make him-self feel better, I guess. He was just brutal and nasty and…cruel. Ever since we broke up he's been sending these messages. At first they were nothing more than him saying I was a whore or a slut. He's possessive and...is so full of anger Matt..but now…he…he's never threatened to..."

She couldn't bring herself to say anymore and when Casey wrapped his arms around her. It barely registered in her mind that she was crying until she heard Matt's voice tell her softly that everything would be okay and that Colton would never hurt her again. Closing her eyes, a second thought popped in her head that in Casey's embrace she felt safer than she ever had before.

Pulling back and looking at him, she could feel his warm hands gently cupping her neck and his thumbs brushing over her sharp cheek bones.

"You're beautiful," he whispered before his head ducked slowly down to hers. Katie felt heat race through her body when his lips touched hers. Casey pulled back after a moment and gave her half a smile.

"I should take you home," he whispered, "If you stay...I don't think I could control myself and I wanna do this the right way."

All Katie could do was nod.

* * *

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	5. Five: Start of Something Good

**Chapter Five: Start of Something Good**

"…_You find out it's all been wrong  
All my scars, don't seem to matter anymore  
Cuz they lead me here to you_

_I know it's gonna take some time_  
_But I've got to admit_  
_That the thought has crossed my mind_  
_This might end up like it should_  
_I'm gonna say what I need to say_  
_And hope to god that it don't scare you away_  
_Don't want to be misunderstood_  
_But I'm starting to believe that_  
_This could be the start of something good_

_Everyone knows life has its ups and downs_  
_One day you're on top of world_  
_And one day you're the clown_

_Well I've been both enough to know_  
_That you don't wanna get in the way when its working out_  
_The way that it is right now_  
_You see my heart; I wear it on my sleeve_  
_Coz I just can't hide it anymore_  
_I know it's gonna take some time…"_

~ "Start of Something Good" – Daughtry

Monday morning crept up on her faster than Katie would have liked. She'd spent all of Sunday with Matt. After getting pancakes they'd gone back to his house and she'd helped him paint both spare rooms in his house and paint the molding for the living room. It had been nice to just be with him and talk. Something about him just made her feel good and she didn't want to lose that feeling. It had been late when they'd ordered pizza and sitting on his back deck, Katie hadn't even realized she'd fallen asleep until Casey had picked her up. At some point he'd taken off her shoes and she'd woken up in his bed still in her short shorts and tank top and his hand cupping her breast.

Katie walked into school Monday morning with a grin on her face as the first bell rang.

"Aren't you late," Becky, her friend and the principle of the school said intercepting her as they walked down the hall.

"I got lost," Katie defended with the smile not leaving her face.

"Right."

"I did. I was coming from Matt's house."

Becky grabbed her arm and grinned, "Did you sleep with him?"

"You sound like my mother."

"You did!"

"I might have had a sleep over but nothing happened," Katie retorted as she took off her sunglasses, "Although I did wake up with him cupping my left breast."

Becky chuckled, "That's all the action you got? It's kinda sad."

"He was so embarrassed," Katie smiled as they turned the corner nearing the administration offices, "I felt bad for teasing him about it but he is cute when he blushes."

"How was the aquarium?"

"Good," she told Becky trying to push Colton's threat out of her mind. Casey had taken her back to her apartment with the excuse he needed to control himself but he'd pretty much turned into a watch dog. He'd slept on her little couch and Sunday morning she'd giggled seeing his feet hang off the side. Around the same time that had happened, Greg Colton had called from jail where he was being held on harassment charges threatening her that once he'd got out she'd be the first person that he visited.

Casey taken charge of the situation and had told her to get dressed. When she'd been getting dressed, he'd called Dawson's brother Antonio to tell him what had happened. When she'd come back dressed in jean shorts and a tank top. He'd told her that it would probably be a good idea to throw a bag together of extra clothes in case something happened. As it turned out, she had needed the bag earlier in the morning when she'd need work clothes.

"So tell me more about this guy," Becky said sitting down in the chair opposite Katie's.

"What's there to tell? He's nice, attractive, hardworking…"

"What's he do for a living?"

"Firefighter."

"Oh," Becky said raising her eyebrows," So he's strong. Have you seen his arms yet?"

Before Katie could reply there was a knock on the door.

"Morning girls," Henry Wyatt, the vice principle of the school and four time divorcee said.

"Morning," Katie and Becky chimed at the same time.

"Good weekend?" he asked.

Katie nodded. Henry Wyatt was a tall, red haired man that reminded her of the bully from A Christmas Story. The students had dubbed him Harry the Scary because the former marine was big on discipline. Kids who miss behaved in the spring and fall often spent a few hours washing the faculty member's cars while kids in the winter wrote lines on the chalk boards. Katie couldn't figure out why someone like Henry had gone into education because he obviously hated kids.

"Well it was good to talk to you both," Katie said standing and smoothing down her pencil skirt, "I've got to go pull a kid from home room so I'll talk to you guys later."

Leaving the office, Katie could already feel her feet aching in the high heel pumps she wore. It was going to be a long day.

* * *

Later in the evening, a little after six, Katie parked her car on the curb where she had for Easter dinner and grabbed the bag of food that she'd gotten from Subway. Kelly had called over her lunch break asking if she'd bring dinner because he wanted to talk to her. She assumed whatever he wanted to talk about was pertaining to Greg or her relationship with Casey.

Walking up the driveway, she noticed that one of the trucks and the ambulence were gone. Her heels clicked on the cement floor and Kelly looked up from the table where he'd been playing cards with the boys.

"You made it on time. I'm impressed," he grinned standing up and giving her a hug.

"Ass," she mumbled returning his embrace.

"Come on, kitchen is empty. We'll eat in there."

Kelly held open the kitchen door for her and followed her in.

"Mind if I use your freezer?" Katie asked holding up a pint of Ben and Jerry's.

"Go for it."

"I'm assuming that the other boys are on a call?" Katie asked as she put the Ben and Jerry's away before sitting down at the long kitchen table and putting the bag down.

"Some fire over in the downtown area," Kelly drawled as he grabbed the bag of food and took out his sandwich, "How were the little angels today at school?"

"I had a mother come in a yell at me about her son shouldn't have been given a detention."

"Why'd he get a detention?"

"He felt up a girl in his English class."

Kelly chuckled, "Boys will be boys."

"I told her that boys shouldn't grope girls in front of classmates and without their consent. He should be lucky her family isn't pressing charges," Katie said crossing her legs and opening the container that covered her salad.

"So did you spend the night at Casey's place Saturday?" Kelly asked casually.

Katie looked at him with a grin and shook her head, "I knew it. You never invite me over for purely social calls. It's always something."

"So did you sleep with him? Guy is walking around with a grin."

"You sound like mom."

Kelly groaned, "That's like calling me a dick. It's insulting. I just wanna know so I can kick his ass for touching my baby sister."

"No I didn't sleep with him. He took me back to my apartment and slept on my couch. We had breakfast Sunday and that was it," Katie lied. Kelly would probably go into overprotective mode if she gave the details she'd given to Becky to him about Sunday.

Kelly leaned forward with his elbows on the table, "I'm a firefighter. I have a bullshit detector that's pretty accurate I'd like to think and it's going off right now."

Mimicking his position, Katie smiled, "It's none of your goddamned business Severide."

"Fine but I'd like to know what's going on between you and him."

She sat back and tapped her index finger on the table, "Kelly, I…I don't really know where this is going. It could end in complete disaster or it could turn out to be the best thing that ever happened to me. All I know is that I really like being around him. I like everything about him and he's a good man which in case you haven't noticed, it's hard to find one of those these days. I know this sounds so cheesy and I've only known him maybe three months at the most but I can see spending the rest of my life with him. He's not that hard to love and I'm in serious danger of falling hard and fast. "

Kelly leaned back and let out a low whistle, "As Kay would say 'you've got it bad'."

"Yes I know which is why I don't want Greg to ruin this. I will admit that I should have gone to the police sooner."

"Thank you," Kelly grinned.

"But I refuse to admit that you were right."

The smile dropped from his face and Kelly shook his head, "You're a pain little sister."

"That's why I'm such a good sister."

The sound of the fire truck and ambulance pulling in had them both looking through the windows.

"Well Without a Trace is on at nine so I've gotta go. Three hour marathon of old re-runs," Katie said standing up.

Kelly looked at his watch and raised an eyebrow, "It's not on for another hour and a half."

"I've got to stop and get groceries and shower. Woody will want fed and I've got to set my clothes out for tomorrow too."

"You've seen every episode," he reasoned, "You watched that show religiously when you were in high school and college. You are a slave to the TV when Without a Trace is on."

"It's not my fault Danny Taylor fueled my high school fantasies," Katie grinned as Kelly made a gagging sound.

"He's not that cute."

"Oh please. I know for a fact that whenever you and Kay go Christmas shopping with mom you guys rank men and women on the hotness scale. Don't lie."

"He's like four."

"He's at least a six," Katie scoffed.

"Who's a six?"

Both Severide's turned to see Otis and Cruz staring at them curiously.

"Danny Taylor on Without a Trace," Katie told them, "Kelly and I were just discussing how they're having a three hour marathon tonight. He was teasing me about watching it."

"Oh," Otis said mildly disappointed that it wasn't something more interesting.

He walked away with Cruz and Katie turned to Kelly, "I just covered your ass. You owe."

"Alright, what do you want?"

"Wednesday."

"What about it?"

"Kelsey is flying in."

"I know."

"Her flight from LA gets in at five am."

Kelly groaned, "You want me to pick her up?"

"Originally mom asked me but know that you owe me, you're picking her up."

Kelly glared at her while she smiled back and stood up, "Or I can go talk to Otis."

"Text me the details," Kelly told her, "Jesus you should have been a lawyer like her."

"I'm better at blackmailing teenage boys then I am at judges."

"You're good at making people miserable," he corrected, "Putting me in an enclosed space with an exhausted bitchy Kelsey and an equally exhausted me is asking for trouble."

Katie grinned again and put the lid on the salad she'd been eating, "I'm sure you'll live."

"Hey Katie!" Shay grinned, "What's going on?"

Katie accepted Shay's hug and smiled, "Kelly wanted dinner. Now tell me please, is my brother behaving for you?"

Shay nodded with a smile, "You know how he is."

"That's what scares me. Listen I've got to go but it was good to see you," she told Shay.

Leaving the fire station, Katie walked to her car and stopped. She'd forgotten something and just as she was about to turn back, a pint of Ben and Jerry's was placed on top of her car. Casey stood on the passenger side with his crossed resting on the top.

"You didn't even say hello to me," he smiled, "I'm kinda hurt."

"I didn't think you'd want to be bothered. Don't you have paperwork to do?"

Casey walked around the car until he had Katie pinned between the door and his body.

"Not even a kiss good bye?"

"I've heard a rumor that I'm really good at giving goodbye kisses," Katie grinned.

"You should kiss me so I can either confirm or deny that it's true."

Wrapping her arms around his neck, Katie softly pressed her lips against his for a moment. Pulling back she smiled seeing Casey eyes were still closed.

"Does that satisfy you're need for a goodbye kiss?"

He opened his eyes and smiled, "It was alright."

"Just alright?" Katie said in mock anger.

"You can make it up to me Friday."

"How?"

"I have to start my shift at eight but you could go out to dinner with me," Matt offered.

"Text me the details," Katie told him before grabbing the Ben and Jerry out of his hands, "Now if you excuse me I have a date with my TV."

"What's on tonight?"

"Without a Trace."

"Have fun," Casey said giving her one last kiss before going back to the fire house.

* * *

"You're gonna be sore," Dawson told Casey Thursday afternoon as he sat in the back of the ambulance.

"You think?" he snapped back and winced as he rotated his shoulder. Getting up and grabbing his heavy jacket, Casey slipped down and walked towards the trucks.

"How's the shoulder?" Severide asked standing next to him.

"It feels like what I imagine getting hit with a ceiling beam feels like," he said sounding frustrated.

Kelly chuckled, "I know the feeling."

"Don't tell your sister about this," Casey told him as they watched the last of the flames die in the house that had been burning, "It's not life threatening and she doesn't really need to know."

"Sure but I'm telling you, Katie will know. She knew back when I had my own fractured neck that something was wrong. She's a human lie detector."

"It's a bruised shoulder," Casey defended.

"Yeah but when you're not feeling well or you're injured you can be a bit of an ass."

Casey glared at him and in a mannerism that showed just how alike Kelly and Katie were Severide grinned.

"I'm just saying."

"Shut up."

* * *

Casey was seated in a booth around six the next night rubbing his shoulder. It was only a bruise but he'd slept on it funny the night before and it ached. He saw her enter the diner on the phone and look around. Raising a hand, she spotted him and smiled while she hung up. Casey wasn't much in the mood for talking or seeing her. He'd rather have gone to the drug store and picked up the ice hot and Advil that Dawson had suggested.

"Hey you!" Katie said affectionately.

"Hi."

She slid in the booth across from him and smiled, "Did you have a good day?"

"It was fine. You?"

"Busy. The police came and did their end of the year drug bust. I got stuck in the science lab with a bunch of half dissected sharks. So if I smell awful I have an excuse."

"It's not a problem," Casey said feeling bored already.

"It was actually funny. Some of the students were reenacting that Finding Nemo scene where Bruce tells Dory that fish are friends, not food. The lock down only lasted for two hours so it wasn't too bad. Kelly called me today though. He said you guys had a fire yesterday."

Casey shrugged and nearly winced. Katie must have seen it because she frowned at him.

"Are you alright?"

"Fine Katie," Casey told her looking down at the menu, "What do you want?"

"I don't believe you. What did you do to your arm?"

"Nothing."

"Matthew-"

"I didn't do anything to my arm so stop being so goddamned nosy and just order for god's sake," Casey snapped at her angrily.

Katie stared at him looking slightly hurt and grabbed her bag.

"You know Dawson called me and told me that you got hurt. She was worried about you and all I was going to do was offer you some Advil like she recommended," Katie said yanking the bottle out of her purse and setting it roughly down on the table, "But hey, if you don't want me to care that's fine. I don't have to sit here and watch you lie to me while you're in pain. Have a great fucking night Matt and a safe shift."

Katie dropped a twenty dollar bill on the table and stood up. He watched her walk away without a backwards glance. Leaning back, he rubbed his eyes and sighed.

"Here are your drinks," the waitress smiled, "A coke and a tea."

"Thanks," Matt said, "Can I just have a burger and fries?"

"Sure, did the lady who was here earlier want anything?"

"No," he told her picking up the bottle of Advil. The waitress walked away and he rubbed the back of his neck. He should have cancelled like he had originally planned. She was angry and unlike Halli who would have sat giving him the silent treatment, she'd just left. Picking up his phone that was on the table next to him, Casey opened the Advil and dialed Katie's cell phone.

After one ring, Katie's cheerful voicemail sounded in his ear and he sighed.

"It's me. Please…I'm sorry I didn't mean to snap at you. I'm sorry."

Hanging up, Casey debated whether or not he should go after her. Eventually he decided that he didn't have enough time to track her down and get to work by eight for his shift. The waitress came back with his meal and gave him a smile.

"Here you go. Enjoy!"

He tried to eat but Casey didn't have much of an appetite. All he could think about was the look on her face when he'd told her she was being goddamned nosy.

* * *

Katie held the bag of Chinese in her hand and hugged the bottle of rum to her side as she walked up the steps to her apartment. Kay had called earlier in the evening as she'd waited for her Chinese food asking if she wanted to do something. Katie had quickly agreed and convinced Kay to bring over her beloved Harry Potter movies to watch as a marathon.

Reaching her door, Katie shivered before putting her key in the lock. Turning to look over her shoulder, Katie didn't have time to scream as Greg's menacing face shot forward so that it was inches from her. He grabbed the bun at the back of her head and yanked. The bottle of Rum broke when it hit the wood floor and the Chinese food spilt along with it.

"You bitch!" he whispered. His voice sent a shiver down her spine and the blood in her veins felt like icy.

"Let go of me!" Katie begged.

Greg let go but his hand wrapped around her slender throat and he slammed her back against her door. Katie blinked as patches of black spotted her vision.

"You called the fucking police! I can't even see my kids because of the pending investigation," he hissed as he pushed her higher up the door. Katie couldn't feel the floor under feet anymore and panic began to set in as she clawed at his hand that seemed to get tighter and tighter by the minute.

"Remember my message? Well this is it baby," he whispered to her. He slammed her head back into the door twice and suddenly there was yelling and Greg let go. Katie collapsed onto her hands and knees coughing. She could hear Kay and another person's voice that sounded like Kelsey's before blacking out on the floor.

* * *

**LEAVE A REVIEW! LEAVE A REVIEW! LEAVE A REVIEW! **

**Next chapter you'll all be meeting the wonderful Kay and Kelsey…**


	6. Six: Sober

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Six: Sober**

"…_And I don't know  
I could crash and burn but maybe  
At the end of this road I might catch a glimpse of me  
So I won't worry about my timing, I want to get it right  
No comparing, second guessing, no not this time_

_Three months and I'm still breathing_  
_Been a long road since those hands I left my tears in but I know_  
_It's never really over, no_  
_Wake up_  
_Three months and I'm still standing here_  
_Three months and I'm getting better yeah_  
_Three months and I still am_

_Three months and it's still harder now_  
_Three months I've been living here without you now_  
_Three months yeah, three months…"_

~ "Sober" Kelly Clarkson

_**Friday Night…**_

"Are you fucking crazy?" Kelsey hissed, "Did I hear you right?"

"I'm not pressing charges," Katie said again.

"You're hearing is just fine," Kay said leaning on the wall and crossing her legs. The youngest Severide was petite like her other sisters and had the same dark hair only with hints of red when the light hit it right. Her blue eyes twinkled with mischief as she stood there feeling bored.

"You think it's perfectly okay that this man attacked her and she isn't pressing charges?" Kelsey, the oldest daughter, nearly shrieked. Her dark hair was pulled back in a severe bun as always and the press suited she constantly wore looked flawless. Her usual black heels clicked on the tile as she paced the length of the small room. Unlike her sisters, her features were sharper and she'd inherited her mother's hooked nose and her father's thin lips.

"Chill out Lady Tremaine," Kay said as she uncrossed her red converse shoes, "Cinderella will get a restraining order and that works fine too."

"It doesn't mean anything. He could break it."

"Do you always freak out like this in these situations? Now I understand why you're an entertainment lawyer."

"Stop it you two," Katie groaned, "You're giving me a head ache."

"We're giving you a head ache?" Kelsey scoffed, "Think of the headache that Kelly and Dad will give you when they find out this guy assaulted you and you're not pressing charges. Kelly will shit a brick sideways and Dad will probably scare the hell out of everyone with his yelling."

"No," Kay said shaking her head, "Kelly will shit three bricks sideways but he and Dad will be harmless. It's Matt you've got to worry about."

Kelsey looked over at Kay and rolled her eyes, "This Matt guy is just the rebound. Why should she give a flying fuck about him?"

"Because they've been dating for a few months now…."

"Right, late night phone calls, dinners here and there. That's totally going steady."

"Hey at least she has a real man."

"Terry is a real man!" Kelsey defended, "Don't you dare trash talk my husband."

"I'm sorry," Kay said not sounding the least bit apologetic, "Let me rephrase. You have Terry's balls in a vice and you've taken his penis and made a necklace out of it. That's why he no longer holds a guy card."

"Kay," Katie groaned.

"Why you little-"

"Ladies," a smooth voice with a faint accent said.

They all looked over to see a tall, dark hair man standing in the doorway to the exam room. He was tall with midnight black hair and dark chocolate eyes that danced with amusement. Kay straightened up and raised an eyebrow.

"You are?"

"Doctor Anita," he said smoothly, "You are?"

"Kay Severide," she told him as she extended hand to shake.

"Enchanted," he drawled as he took her hand.

Kay looked like she might pass out for a moment before nodding, "Uh-huh."

He grinned and dropped her hand gently before turning to Kelsey.

"And you are milady?"

"Touch me I will unleash my jiu-jitsu lessons on your ass."

"What lessons?" Kay asked innocently.

Kelsey glared as Doctor Anita washed his hands.

"And you must be Katie?" he smiled.

"Yes."

"Care to tell me what happened?" he said sitting down on a stool in front of her. His fingers began touching her neck and Katie winced.

"Her crazy ex-boyfriend jumped her outside her apartment and choked her," Kelsey said forcefully as she crossed her arms over her chest.

"You've spoken to the police?"

"I'm not pressing charges," Katie murmured.

"She wants a restraining order instead of prosecuting that sorry son of a bitch's goddamned ass," Kelsey snapped.

"We could just give him to you. I'm sure you'd love to try that riding whip you use on Terry on Greg. Meow," Kay said and made a motion with her hand of snap a whip as well as the sound of it snapping.

Kelsey looked murderous and Doctor Anita chuckled.

"Are they always like this?"

"You should see family dinners," Katie sighed as the doctor felt the back of her neck.

"I can imagine," he said dryly, "Now I will have to notify the police because this is domestic abuse and assault. It's hospital policy anyway."

Katie opened her mouth to protest but Kelsey spoke first.

"Good maybe the goddamned cop can talk some sense into her."

"I don't feel any damage but we will get an x-ray to be safe," he continued ignoring Kelsey, "You probably just have severe bruising. I will be back."

Kay gave a flirty wave and smile that was returned.

"You are un-goddamn-believable," Kelsey snapped.

"What potty mouth?" Kay said innocently.

"Katie is attacked and you're flirting with the doctor."

"I can't help it! He came in smiled, touched me and my ovaries started doing the rumba! It's not my fault that the primitive part of me started getting sex thoughts with him as the main attraction! It's a problem. I completely agree! It's a stupid evolutionary and biological part of me that I can't get rid of. Besides, I can only imagine how good looking our babies might be."

Katie gave a strangled laugh and even Kelsey cracked a smile.

"He was cute," Katie admitted.

"He was gorgeous and probably taken," Kay said dreamily, "But we will remember him for that tight ass and that sexy deep purple sweater. I'll go call Kelly and Dad and see if I can get that Doc's number."

"Whore," Kelsey sneered ruining the sisterly moment.

"And proud of it you dominatrix bitch," Kay grinned before leaving.

* * *

Casey and Kelly stood in the ER waiting for news on Hermann. A fire had caused severe smoke inhalation and the whole fire house was waiting for news. He took out his phone again and looked at the screen.

No new messages.

He'd left two voice messages and had sent a few text messages but it looked like he was in the dog house big time. It was a foreign experience. Halli usually wanted to fix the problem as soon as possible and be on good terms but it seemed like Katie wanted to be left alone and would ignore him until she was ready to talk about it.

"So what'd you do?" Kelly asked.

Casey looked at him confused.

"My sister is giving you the silent treatment. I know that look when I see it. Besides, I grew up with her so I know how you feel. You know one time she didn't talk to me for a whole month after I broke her doll."

"She's probably asleep," Casey told him trying to avoid the conversation.

"I know my sister she's not asleep at ten on a Friday night. What'd you do?"

"How do you know I did something?"

"You look like puppy that was caught pissing on the carpet."

Casey groaned and rubbed his eyes, "I was in pain and snapped at her. She practically threw a bottle of Advil at me and left dinner."

"I told you."

"Told me what?" Casey asked exasperated.

"You're an ass when you're in pain."

Matt rolled his eyes, "Thanks."

"What are you gonna do?"

"Huh?"

"How are you going to apologize?"

"It's none of your business," Casey snapped.

Kelly held up his hands in surrender, "That's cool but I'm gonna tell you right now that I would give her a forty-eight to seventy-two hour cooling period. Any sooner and she'll probably kill you."

"That makes me feel better."

His phone rang at that moment and he answered not bothering to look at the number.

"Casey," he said hoping it was Katie.

"Is this Matt Casey?" a voice that sounded like Katie's asked.

"Speaking, who is this?"

"This is Kay Severide," she said, "Is my brother with you by chance?"

"He's standing next to me. Did you wanna speak to him?"

"Please and thank you," she said in a sing-song voice.

Casey looked at his phone for a moment thinking that Kay must have been a younger version of her mother before nudging Severide.

"You're sister."

"Which one?" Severide asked dryly.

"Kay."

Kelly took the phone and held it to his ear, "What's up skittles?...No…I haven't spoken to mom or dad today…I'm aware they got into a fight. Casey was telling me about it before you need to chat came up…Are you calling to tell me she's smashed beyond belief?...Where the hell are you?...I'm coming and I'll bring him with me."

Casey looked at Severide confused when he gave the phone back.

"Apparently we have to go meet Kay over at the nurse's station."

It wasn't hard to find Kay. She was small and wore a large black head band with an even bigger bow on it. Tight skinny jeans and a shirt that make Casey chuckle.

_Gold Diggers: Like hookers just smarter._

She rested one elbow on the counter and raised an eyebrow, "That was fast."

"What happened?" Kelly asked.

"We had a little accident," Kay told him.

"What'd she do?"

"It's not what she did more of what he did."

"Kay," Kelly groaned, "No riddles."

"You two have to promise me you won't freak."

"I'm gonna freak if you don't tell me what's going on," Kelly said heatedly.

Kay glared at him and sighed.

"We promises," Matt said feeling anxious, "Now tell us what happened."

"Greg choked Katie outside her apartment."

"What?" Kelly yelled loudly and several people looked over at them.

"You promised," Kay said pointing a finger.

"It's null and void when someone gets hurt," Kelly snapped, "Now where the hell is she?"

"Getting x-rays."

"X-rays?" Matt said feeling his own anger slipping.

"They're just a precaution-"

"Precaution?" Kelly snapped his temple pulsing.

"Are you three trying to get us all kicked out?" a woman who resembled Kay and Katie stepped in, "Calm down both of you. Katie is fine and the police will be here to talk some sense into her."

"Why do they need to talk sense into her?" Kelly and Casey asked at the same time.

Kay looked at Kelsey and shook her head, "You spoke way to damn soon. Katie isn't pressing charges."

"Is she out of her goddamned mind?" Kelly hissed.

"I told you he'd shit a brick sideways," Kelsey told Kay.

"I didn't doubt you," Kay said, "I only said he'd shit three."

"Stop it you two and fucking focus," Kelly hissed, "And explain from the start."

Both girls glared back at him.

Kelsey hands went to her hips and she exhaled hard, "Katie was attacked tonight by that son of a bitch ex-boyfriend of hers. He tried to strangle her in the hallway of her apartment building. If Kay and I hadn't shown up when we did she'd probably in the morgue downstairs. I'm trying to find that Dawson guy so I can get the paperwork together to get a fucking restraining order against that bastard. I told you he was bad news right from the start but did anyone listen to me? No. You all-"

"I get it," Kelly cut her off not wanting to her lecture him about why she was right, "Let's go find Antonio."

"Fine," Kelsey said and sauntered off on a mission.

"Goddamn psycho," Kelly mumbled to himself as he followed Kelsey. Casey watched the scene unsure of what to say or do.

"Awkward," Kay mumbled, "Nice to meet you Matt. Katie should be back by now from her x-rays, I'm going to go wait for Dad at the front door."

Kay scurried away and Casey turned to the nurse, "Katie Severide."

"You are?"

"Boyfriend," he said.

"Four bay."

He and walked down to the bed that was coincidently next to Hermann's. Knocking on the door, he paused and heard a call of admittance. Pushing open the door, he paused when he saw Katie sitting on the side of the bed as the nurse helped her with the back of the hospital gown. Matt took a hesitant step in. Katie's dark haired was pulled up in a bun on top of her head. He could see her neck and the black and blue hand prints that were on her fair skin.

"Sir?" the nurse asked.

Katie turned her head and winced at the movement.

"Matt?" she said confused.

Casey hurried over to her and wasn't even sure to say as he looked at the bruises. A dark one was imprinted on her cheek and other handprints were on her arms. Anger filled him and she must have seen it in his face because she spoke.

"It's not as bad as it looks."

Matt's eyes went to hers and he struggled to not snap at her for trying to minimize her injuries.

"You could be in the ICU right now if your sisters hadn't shown up," he said as his anger left and was replaced with fear, "Don't tell me that it's not bad because I doubt you've seen what you look like in a mirror. It's like every inch of you is covered in bruises!"

"Matt," Katie began but was cut off.

"And please tell me that I just misheard your sister when she said that you're not pressing charges."

"I'm not pressing charges."

Matt looked at her for a moment confused before grabbing the chair behind him and set it in front of her. His coat came off and he threw it on the back of the chair before sitting down.

"Katie he assaulted you," he told her, "Not pressing charges is just giving him the chance to do it again and I'm not going to sit here and let you take that kind of gamble with your life."

"I told Kelsey that I want a restraining order. Matt he has a family, kids. If I press charges what's that going to do? It's going to make him even more resentful because of some stupid thing that he's misconstrued into believing I did. There is no win-win in this situation."

Casey was silent because he could see the logic in her argument. Colton was already unstable and antagonizing him with charges was going to probably make the stalking worse. A restraining order could keep him at bay long enough until he got bored.

"Matt…Please," Katie said as her voice broke, "Please. Can we not talk about this now?"

Looking up to see tears falling down her face, Casey stood up and hugged her. She choked a sob back and held onto him tight. It clicked in his head that she was as frightened as he was and he held on tighter to her.

"You're safe now," he whispered softly, "Everything is going to be okay. He's not going to hurt you again. I promise."

Katie clung to him tighter. Pressing his lips to the top of her head, Casey heard the door creak and he looked to see the nurse who gave him a sad look before closing the door. He wasn't sure how long he'd been holding Katie but he could feel her body relaxing.

"I wonder if I hadn't left dinner would this have happened," she mumbled.

Casey pulled back and his hand must have brushed against a bruise because she hissed in pain.

"I'm sorry," he said softly as he sat back down.

"It's okay. You didn't do anything," Katie mumbled rubbing her bruised neck.

"You're kidding me right?"

"What?"

Matt sighed, "This happened at your apartment?"

"I went to go get Chinese food for my sisters and me and he was lying in wait according to Antonio. He just grabbed me."

A tear fell and Katie quickly wiped it away, "I didn't ever think he'd try something like this Matt."

Casey held her hands as more tears fell, "Everything is going to be okay."

Katie held his hands tightly. He was the only person she could stand to see her cry. She'd put up a strong front for her family but the truth was that she was terrified. If her sisters hadn't shown up when did they, what else would Greg have done?

"I'm sorry for tonight," Casey told her trying to change the topic, "I was an ass to you and I'm sorry. You were right. My shoulder ached."

Katie looked up with a small smile, "I was right about one thing at least. What did you do?"

"A ceiling beam came down and nearly missed me but I hit my shoulder. I slept on it funny last night and I didn't take anything for it before our date from hell. I snapped at you and I'm so sorry."

"You know Dawson called me about you," she said, "She was worried about you. I think that she thinks you were minimizing the amount of pain you were in. I don't think she wants you to have the same thing that happened to Kelly happen to you."

Just as Casey was about to reply, the other Severide siblings walked in. They were obviously fighting about something.

"You could tell him that something kinky went down," Kay said with the trade mark Severide grin.

"Oh please," Kelsey scoffed crossing her arms over her chest, "Grow up."

"Grow up?" Kay rolled her eyes, "If I remember right Mom found those compromising pictures of you and Terry-"

"Shut up," Kelsey snapped.

"I'm not the one who paddles my man when he's naughty," Kay sang and gave a winked, "It sounds fun though."

Kelsey took a threatening step towards Kay and Kelly shifted towards them both in case he had to intervene.

"Girls," he warned.

"I'm not a girl Kelly Severide," Kelsey said turning and pointing a finger at him, "I'm a woman and at least I can have a decent relationship and I'm not fucking every slut that shows me her tits."

Chaos erupted as Kay started to defend Kelly and Kelly himself yelled at her to stay out of it as Kelsey yelled at all of them for breathing. Katie sighed and rested her head on his shoulder as Casey was trying to understand what was being said between the siblings.

"Oi! For Christ's sake quiet the hell down! Mary mother of God! It's like you're all teenagers again," an older man with flaming red hair and a thick Irish accent said as he hobbled into the space with a cane, "Kelly you go park my car. It's in the fire lane. Kelsey you go call your mother and Kay get the hell out and go find something to do like helping one of them. Christ I miss the days when I could bend you all over my knee and bet the right hell out of you. Caning is abuse my ass."

Kelly left with Kay hot on his heels and Kelsey behind them glaring daggers. Katie sat on the bed and looked at her father.

"Papa," she sighed.

"Let me see your neck," he said gruffly as Casey moved out of the way.

"It's nothing."

"Right, a man tries to choke you and you tell me it' nothing. That's your mother talking. Christ in heaven you're all just like her. I love her to pieces but-"

"It's nothing papa," Katie said again.

"Kay told me everything."

"Seriously?"

"What? Despite how much you hate each other you all spill your guts to me. I'm the secret keeper between you four."

"I don't hate Kelly or my sisters."

"What the hell do you call what I just walked in on?"

"They were having a disagreement," Katie shrugged and winced.

"About?"

Katie shrugged and her father rolled his eyes, "Good lord."

He turned to look at Casey, "You must be the new beau."

"I'm Matthew Casey sir," Casey told him raised a hand to shake.

"Bartly Severide," the older man said gruffly as he took Casey's hand, "Roxanne was right about him Katie-lamb. Quite the looker is he."

Casey felt uncomfortable as the older man looked him up and down.

"Bleedin' Christ boy! I didn't mean anything sexual by it," Bartly chuckled.

Katie covered her mouth as Casey looked to her for help.

"Papa," she warned.

"Fine, I'll go and make sure your sister doesn't murder your brother in the waiting room. Christ in heaven knows that she'd do it. I should have had that godddamned operation after yer brother was born but no, your mother wanted more and I got settled with three girls. Bleedin' Christ…"

"I love you too papa," Katie said rolling her eyes.

"If you all love me like you say, your siblings wouldn't fight. The happiest day of my life will be when you have kids and call your mother bitchin' 'bout whatever the hell they've done," he grunted, "You're being released by the way. Doctor wanted me to tell you that."

He left and Matt reached into his pocket. He took out his key ring and Katie raised her eyebrows.

"What are you doing?"

Matt unhooked the key he wanted off the ring and held it up.

"What's that?" Katie asked again.

"My house key," Casey told her, "You're insane if you think that I'm letting you go back to your apartment."

Katie took the metal into her hand and looked up at him with a soft smile.

* * *

Casey closed the door to her room behind him so she could change. Shrugging his coat on, Casey went to the nurse's station where Kelly was.

"She's gonna stay at my house," Casey told him, "That bastard doesn't know where I live so she'll be fine."

Kelly nodded, "And she agreed willingly?"

"I may have blackmailed her into doing it for my peace of mind."

"I'm not sure how I feel about my baby sister sleeping over in your bed."

"Like I'm going to do something," Casey scoffed sarcastically.

"Matt?"

Both Casey and Severide turned around to see Halli standing there. Matt's heart pounded in his chest as he looked at Halli. She looked beautiful and his chest ached. Kelly shot a look at him first then glared at Halli.

"I'll tell Katie we're leaving," he said sharply, "Five minutes Lieutenant."

Casey nodded unconsciously. Kelly walked away and Halli smiled at him sadly.

"Hey…I heard about Hermann," she started, "I'm sorry."

"He's going to fine," Casey said trying to suppress the emotions he felt at seeing her, "That's all that matters."

Halli nodded, "Well I'll let you go. I just wanted to stop and say hello."

She gave him forearm a gentle squeeze and Casey felt that warm feeling he always felt around Halli return. He watched her walk away as Kelly came back looking like he'd swallowed something sour.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Yep," Casey said and he followed Kelly out to the trucks with the sinking feeling that he wasn't completely over Halli.

* * *

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Recovering4Life


	7. Seven: Stay, Stay, Stay

**Chapter Seven: Stay, Stay, Stay**

_"...That's when you came in wearing a football helmet_  
_And said okay let's talk_  
_And I said..._

_Stay stay stay i've been loving you for quite some time time time_  
_You think that it's funny when i'm mad mad mad_  
_But I think that it's best if we both stay_

_Before you I only dated self indulgent takes _  
_who took all of their problems out on me_  
_But you carrying my groceries and now I'm always laughing_  
_And I love you because you have given me no choice but to_

_Stay stay stay I've been loving you for quite some time time time_  
_You think that it's funny when I'm mad mad mad_  
_But I think that it's best if we both stay stay stay stay_

_You took the time to memorize me my feels my hopes and dreams..."_

~ "Stay" - Taylor Swift

Casey stared at the ceiling. The lights from the street shined in and made shapes on the ceiling. Katie shifted in bed next to him and he looked over at her. The tank top she'd worn to bed had ridden up and he could make out the curve of her hip as she slept on her side.

Guilt flooded through him. He'd seen Halli just a few days ago but it had confirmed something he'd been desperately denying himself, he still loved her. He still loved Halli and it hurt because he knew that if Katie knew she'd leave him in a heartbeat. Having already been conned by a married man, Casey knew that she wouldn't stand for being broken hearted again. Closing his eyes, he tried to push any thoughts of Halli out of his head and think about Katie. What did he like about her?

She was sweet and charming. Her wicked sense of humor brought a smile to his face and her passion made his blood boil. Beyond that he didn't know what he was attracted too. Maybe she was the polar opposite of Halli and to him it was a breath of fresh air? Maybe she wasn't anything he expected and that intrigued him. He was torn for a moment. He did genuinely care about her but seeing Halli again brought up feelings he thought he'd gotten rid of long ago.

A small voice in his head said that the right thing to do would be to tell Katie and put an end to things before got too far. Before she fell in love with him and he smashed her heart. But a larger part of him was selfish. He wanted to be with Katie too. She didn't hold him back and they wanted the same things in the future including children. Something Halli didn't want but Katie did.

"You're thinking so loud you woke me up."

He turned to see Katie lying on her side facing him with her eyes still closed. She hugged a pillow to her side and smiled.

"Can't sleep?" she asked.

"It's nothing," he said softly, "Go back to sleep. It's not even three yet."

"Sure you don't wanna talk about?"

"I'm fine Katie."

A few minutes passed and her breathing evened out again. Shifting to get comfortable, Casey promised himself that he'd do whatever it took to get over Halli. Even if it felt like on the inside he was settling with second best.

* * *

**Five Months Later…October 21…**

Katie slipped on the small ballet flat as she simultaneously put a pearl earring in. She was running late and trying to hurry. Matt was seated on the couch downstairs watching TV and waiting.

"Shoes, earrings, underwear, bra…" she mumbled to herself as she put her hair up in a ponytail quickly.

"You know talking to yourself is the first sign of insanity."

She looked up to see Matt standing in the doorway with an amused expression on his face.

"I was making sure I had everything," Katie defended with a smile.

"Shoes, earrings, underwear and a bra?" he asked with a laugh.

"I've forgotten all four of those things at one point."

Casey grinned, "At the same time?"

"Only when I was drunk in college," she laughed before walking over to him and pressing a kiss on his cheek before passing him. Grabbing her cardigan, Katie turned to look at him with a raised brow, "Do you spy on me often when I'm getting dressed?"

"Only when I've forgotten my wallet and keys," he told her holding them up, "Ready?"

Katie nodded and walked down the steps with Casey following. Her phone rang and she looked at the ID.

"Kelly is looking for us."

* * *

"You're late," Kelly said from a booth at the restaurant Peter Mills' mother owned.

"Blame your sister," Casey grinned as he let Katie slid into the booth first, "She was late."

"Traffic! It wasn't my fault!" Katie protested with a smile, "Besides, five minutes is not late."

"You use that excuse every time," Kelly told her, "Even when in high school you used that excuse."

"It's true! Traffic made us late."

Casey sat down next to her and put his arm casually on the back of the booth seats, "Traffic was heavy Severide."

Kelly snorted, "For some reason that excuse works well for you and Kay. You tell mom that instantly you're both poor babies. The minute I say that I get told I need better time management skills."

"You're the oldest," Katie shrugged, "That explanation explains everything bad that happens to you."

Casey laughed as Mills came over and joined them.

"Speaking of being the oldest with three younger sister, Kay called wanting to know if you were having a party for your birthday," Kelly said as he stole one of the beers that Mills had brought over.

"My mom insisted on hosting dinner," Katie smiled, "Call for more information."

"Your mom?" Kelly asked with a raised eyebrow, "What? Am I adopted?"

"You know what I meant smartass."

Casey laughed, "Severide is nervous because he doesn't know what to get you for your birthday. He was asking Shay and Dawson for advice all last shift."

"You're birthday is coming up?" Peter asked looking distracted.

"Two weeks," Katie smiled, "I'll be the big three zero."

Kelly leaned back against the seat and fished for his wallet.

"Here buy yourself something and keep it under a hundred bucks. When you open it at dinner just act surprised," he told her as he opened his wallet and tossed a credit card at her.

"Thanks. I feel the love," Katie said sarcastically as she took out her iphone, "At least I make an effort to buy you something for your birthday."

"Gift cards don't count," Kelly shot back.

"I said effort! I make an effort!"

Peter looked over Casey's shoulder for the fifth time and it caught Kelly's attention.

"What are you staring at Mills?" he asked leaning over close to the Cadet to see what he was staring at.

"Nothing," Mills said quickly as the bell above the door jingled.

A tall, blond haired woman walked in. She was pretty with curves in all the right places and large cornflower blue eyes.

"Dawson," Casey said as he caught Mills stealing a glance thanks to the entrance of the woman.

"No!" Mills protested quickly.

"I knew it. Dude you like her," Kelly said clapping him on the shoulder, "Hadley owes me money."

"I do not," Mills protested again.

"It's fruitless to deny it at this moment," Casey told Mills with a grin, "You and Dawson, huh."

"Go talk to her. Walk up and ask to buy her a drink," Kelly jumped in and encouraged Mills.

"It's an open bar," Peter replied with a shake of his head.

"Then give her a compliment. Tell her she looks pretty. Here I'll show you. Get up," Kelly told Mills as he practically pushed the cadet out of the seat, "Watch and learn."

Katie barely contained her laughter as Kelly quickly fixed his appearance and walked over to the woman.

"Her name is Gracie Harper," Katie whispered to Casey, "She's a math teacher I just started working with when I started working at St. Ignatius."

"She reminds me of Grace Kelly," Mills said looking at her, "Think she'll go after Severide?"

"No," Katie laughed as they watched Kelly.

* * *

Gracie Harper could feel her feet screaming in the heels she wore. They weren't uncomfortable but they only added to her irritation. She still had four periods of math homework and tests to grade before she could go to bed and her head was aching already from the crappy hand writing of tenth grade boys.

"Hi Gracie," Mrs. Mills smiled, "Your order is almost ready. It will be out in a minute if you want to wait here."

"Thank you," Gracie smiled sweetly refusing to take her bad mood out on a kind woman like Mrs. Mills.

"Do you come here often?"

Gracie turned to see a tall man with sea blue eyes. His hair had a few grays that only added to his sex appeal. His cocky smile would have made her blush but she wasn't in the mood to flirt.

"Yes. Do you?" she asked sharply. He seemed taken aback but smiled even more.

"My squad and I come down here to watch the games."

"Squad?"

"Liutenant Kelly Severide," he told her, "Now what's your name?"

"You seem like a cocky son of a bitch and I don't bat for boys like you," Gracie told him sweetly.

"Gracie I see you've met Kelly Severide," Mrs. Mills said with a smile as she came back with a paper bag, "Kelly, this is Gracie. She's a regular of mine here."

"It's nice to meet you Gracie," Kelly replied with grin and held out his hand for her to shake.

"Thanks Mrs. Mills," Gracie replied as she ignored Kelly, "Have a wonderful day."

She turned and looked at Kelly, "You too Severide."

He watched Gracie quickly leave and heard Katie and Casey's laughter as he walked back to the booth.

* * *

Katie wiped tears away from her eye as she laughed harder at Kelly.

"What was that? I thought you were going to show Mills how it was done."

"Shut up," Kelly grumbled as he lifted his beer to his lips.

"Mills don't listen to Kelly or Matt say. Just be yourself and be nice. Go start a casual conversation with her," Katie told him with a smile, "There are women like Gracie who like to have a normal conversation."

Kelly perked up, "How do you know her name?"

"I work with her," Katie smiled as Casey burst out laughing at the look of shock on Kelly's face.

"No way."

"Yes way, she teaches math."

"You didn't tell me that before I went to talk to her? You are a crappy sister."

"Mills, Katie's approach works too. Just get up off your ass and go talk to her. Sitting here won't do anything," Casey told Mills as he pointed his shoulder at Dawson.

"I don't even really like her," Mills protested.

"Don't lie to me," Kelly told him, "I have younger three sisters. I know when I'm being served bullshit."

"Really Kelly?" Casey asked with a raised brow.

"What it's true? Kay tried to pull a fast one on me the other day and I caught it."

"You and Kelsey can't even be in the same room together," Katie laughed, "You two will kill each other if Kay or I aren't there to hold one of you back."

"Okay! So I know when two thirds of my sisters are lying. The other third doesn't like me so it doesn't count," Kelly conceded, "But I still know when I'm being lied to. That's the big point I'm trying to make."

"Mills just go talk to Dawson," Casey said with a roll of his eyes and a smile, "This is gonna go on for a while so just go and bring me back a beer if you can."

Mills quickly got up and left them in the booth alone. Katie slid Kelly's credit card back across the table to him.

"What'd you buy?" Kelly asked taking his wallet back out and slipping into a pocket.

"Shoes," Katie smiled happily, "I got a cute gold pair of ballet flats and some nude pumps."

"Does Casey know about your little fetish?" Kelly asked again with a raised eyebrow, "You have, like a gazillion shoes you have in your closet."

"I do not!" Katie protested as Matt laughed and took out phone.

"I took a picture of it. I couldn't believe she had so many shoes!"

Kelly looked at the picture on Matt's phone and snorted, "If you sold those you could probably feed a third world country for a year."

"I like shoes Kelly. Sue me. At least I have them organized and neat. Has Matt seen your closet?" Katie asked cocking her head to the side.

"Why would Casey have seen my closet? The bigger question here Kit-Kat is does Casey know how many you own?" Kelly shot back with a smile as he raised his beer to his lips.

"There's a closet in my house that is big enough for all the shoes she has and more," Casey grinned knowing his comment was perfectly timed as he watched Kelly choke on his drink and spill some on his shirt. Katie quickly took some napkins out the dispenser next to her and passed them over.

"Here you slob," she smiled.

"Why the hell would she need a closet at your place?" Kelly said as he took the napkins and looked down at his shirt, "Thanks."

"Maybe she's moving in," Casey said with an even bigger grin as Kelly's head shot quickly.

"My rent is up in December," Katie added with a smile as she snuggled into Casey's side even more for effect.

"Oh hell no," Kelly said quickly, "You keep your grabby little hands off my sister. I'm not above kicking your ass Casey. You might be my friend but she's my baby sister."

Katie's head fell back on Matt's shoulder as she laughed, "Where have I heard that before?"

"I'm not joking," Kelly said seriously, "Break her heart, sleep with her before you marry in anyway or do something stupid Casey I will kick your ass."

"Kelly you've told that to every guy since I was sixteen. I'll be thirty in two weeks. Chill."

Katie's phone vibrated in her hand and she looked down at it. Fear filled her as she read the message to herself.

_You didn't think that because you changed your number bitch that I wouldn't find you? You shouldn't have gotten a new man or changed your number…I will be after you…_

"You okay?" Casey asked looking at her with concern.

"Yeah I'm fine," Katie lied as she quickly turned off her phone and smiled at him, "I just realized that I forgot to do some paper work that's due Monday. It's no big deal."

Casey looked at her for a moment longer before nodding, "Okay."

* * *

Casey's warm hand was wrapped around her own smaller one and Katie felt safe with him as they walked along the sidewalk to his truck.

"I had a nice night tonight," she told him with a smile.

"I did too," Casey replied, "It was nice to know that even Kelly gets rejected."

Katie chuckled, "Yes that was a nice thing to see."

They stopped when they got to the truck and Casey pulled her close. It didn't matter that they were standing in the middle of the street or that it was chilly outside. Everything faded when Casey's lips touched her. It was like she melted and Katie's hand slipped beneath the collar of his shirt as his own hands slipped under her shirt in search of the soft skin of her hip. His lips were warm and soft and knew just how she wanted to be kissed.

"Get your tongue out of my sister's throat Casey! I said hands off till you marry her!"

They jerked apart and Casey looked over his shoulder to see Kelly Severide standing next to Hermann's passenger side door. The window was rolled down and Hermann was laughing inside the car in the driver's seat.

Katie rested her forehead against his chest and groaned, "Tell him to shut up."

Casey chuckled and shook his head, "Let's just go."

"My place or yours?" she said with a smile, "You can't just drop me off and then leave after kissing me like that."

"Yours," Casey grinned back.

* * *

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	8. Eight: Happy

**Chapter Eight: Happy**

_"Don't you take chances_  
_You might feel the pain_  
_Don't you love in vain_  
_'Cause love won't set you free_

_I could stand by the side_  
_And watch this life pass me by_  
_So unhappy_  
_But safe as could be_

_So what if it hurts me?_  
_So what it I break down?_  
_So what if this world just throws me off the edge_  
_My feet run out of ground_  
_I gotta find my place_  
_I wanna hear my sound_  
_Don't care about all the pain in front of me_  
_I'm just trying to be happy_  
_I just wanna be happy, yeah_

_Holding on tightly_  
_Just can't let it go_  
_Just trying to play my role_  
_Slowly disappear_

_But all these days_  
_They feel like they're the same_  
_Just different faces_  
_Different names_  
_Get me out of here_

_I can't stand by the side_  
_Ooh, no_  
_And watch this life pass me by_  
_Pass me by..."_

~ "Happy" - Leona Lewis

Katie tip toed around her apartment the next morning as she tried to be as quiet as possible. Casey was asleep on his stomach in the middle of her bed looking cute. Zipping up the pencil skirt she was going to wear, Katie sat down gently on the bed and put the pearl earrings in that she'd taken out before she'd fallen asleep the night before. She felt Casey turnover and an arm reach out to touch her back.

"What time is it?" he asked sounding half awake.

"It's a little after six," Katie told him as she turned to smile at him, "Go back to sleep. I'm leaving early because I have to go in and finish work."

She nearly shrieked when Casey's arm wrapped around her waist and he pulled her back into bed. Katie found herself flat on her back. He was over her in an instant and peppering kisses along her neck.

"I have to go Matt," Katie laughed as he pulled back.

"You have a naked guy in your bed and you're leaving to go to work early?" he asked with a smile, "Really?"

"Cute naked guy," Katie amended with a smile, "And yes, I am leaving. I have things to do if I want to quit on time today."

"Make me a promise," he said to her as he pushed a loose strand of hair behind her ear.

"What?"

"Come to the station after work."

Katie's smile became wider and she nodded, "I will but in order to do so, I have to leave which means you have to let me get up so I can go."

Casey kissed her softly on the lips and it made it ten times harder for Katie to leave when he pulled away. The night before he'd been wonderful and she didn't want to leave. Making love to him had always been wonderful but for some reason the night before had been extra sweet and she didn't want to forget one moment of it. She wanted to remember everything from the way his hands touched her skin to the feeling of his skin against her as they moved together. Katie didn't want to forget every little noise he made when she touched him nor did she want to forget how it felt to have him in a passionate embrace. Everything about being with him was passionate and being with him was so much more than she'd ever felt with another person. With Matthew it wasn't just sex; it was something more and it almost scare her to think about it but at the same time it filled her with wonder.

"I'll see you later," he told her quietly as he brushed his thumb against her soft cheek and placed a soft kiss on her nose.

"Tell me to leave," she whispered, "Because I really don't want to go."

Casey chuckled and gave her one last kiss soft kiss on her cheek, "Go influence some kid to do good or whatever you're so good at that makes school districts fight over you. Brighten some kid's day with that smile of yours"

Katie smiled and ran her fingers through his short hair, "Thanks, I'll see you later. Be safe today."

"I will."

* * *

Katie parked her silver Altima in the staff parking lot a little after seven. School didn't start till nine but being there early meant she had quiet time to get things done and had more time open to help the students who wanted to see her later in the day. Stepping out of her car, Katie grabbed her bag and locked the door behind her.

"You bitch!"

She felt hands tightly grab her arms and she knew who it was before the voice spoke again.

"Greg!" she yelped as his hand practically crushed her forearm, "Stop it!"

"I lost everything because of you! Do you realize that? It's all you damn fault!" he yelled in her face as he shook her. Katie could smell the liquor on his breath as he shook her violently over and over again.

"Let me go!" she cried out as he tightened his grip, "I haven't done anything to you! Please stop it!"

"My wife left me because of you and I lost my job!" he yelled again, "It's all you goddamned fault you bitch!"

"You decided to have an affair! And I had nothing to do with your job. Now let me go!" Katie begged tearfully. She had never been so afraid before and she desperately wished she was at home in her warm bed with cuddle with Matt. Moreover, she wished he was there with her to stop Greg from hurting any more than he already had.

"Everything is your fault you slut!" Greg raged as he slammed her back against her, "Do you understand that?"

She was just about to scream for help when she heard a voice she'd never been more grateful to hear.

"Hey! Let her go!" Gracie Harper called out.

They both looked to see her standing close by with a serious expression on her face.

"Do I have to call the police?" Gracie asked as she pointed her bottle of pepper spray at Greg and held her cellphone close to her ear.

Greg gave Katie a rough shove into the ground and glared at Gracie, "No. I'll be leaving."

He stalked away and Gracie rushed over to Katie to help her up. Pain radiated from her arms and Katie knew that there would be bruises beneath the sleeves of her black cardigan.

"Thanks," she mumbled as she stood up and felt a pinch of pain in her ankle and an ache already forming in her arms.

"No problem. I have an ex-boyfriend just like him," Gracie chuckled with a smile, "We make a solid team though with our bad choices in boyfriends."

Katie laughed a little, "I guess we do. Please don't tell anyone about this though."

"I won't if you don't tell anyone about your brother hitting on me and me turning him down."

"Was he really that bad?"

"No, I just wasn't a good flirt back. I really wasn't in the mood," Gracie smiled, "He is really cute though. I'm just not interested in him at the moment."

"I have his number if you want it," Katie winked as they started walking towards the school building.

"He probably doesn't want to talk to me. I kinda took the winds out of his sails when I turned him down," Gracie said as she linked arms with Katie, "I probably crushed his ego too."

"Good for you! No girls do that anymore. Knock him down all the pegs you want! I'm sure my sister Kay would love to see that," Katie told her as she opened the door to the school for the teacher's parking lot. Gracie laughed so hard there were tears in her eyes as they both walked in.

Parting ways with a promise to have lunch together, Katie walked to the administration offices hoping that her encounter with Greg didn't leave any visible marks. Casey was like a magnet when it came to bruises. He was quick to find them and always asked questions until he was satisfied it wasn't because someone had hurt her.

Walking into her office, Katie flipped on the lights and shrugged off her cardigan. Opening the top drawer of her 'L' shaped desk and taking out a small mirror, Katie frowned seeing hand prints already forming on her arms. Walking back to the small coat rack she had in the corner of her office, she put the cardigan back on knowing that she'd be wearing all day to avoid questions from the staff and hopefully Casey.

* * *

"So you and my sister are going to play house?" Kelly said as he and Casey walked across the suburban street to the trucks from the little grease fire that they had been just put out.

"She was teasing you," Casey said with a grin, "I can see it got to you just like Katie wanted it to."

"I don't care if my sister lives with you as a roommate. I just want to make sure that you'll be living in separate rooms and you keep your pants to yourself," Kelly announced as Casey handed the fire extinguisher to Mills to be put away.

"Keeping my pants to myself? If that's what you want to think Kelly that's fine," he replied as he took off his helmet.

Severide stopped in shock, "You didn't!"

"Didn't what?" Casey grinned as he stopped and turned to look at him.

"You slept with my sister?!" Kelly nearly yelled looking pissed.

"Now that's none of your business," Matt shot back.

He wasn't going to tell anyone, especially Kelly about his sexual relationship with Katie. It was private and it was going to remain that way. He'd seen how some guys revealed private and very personal details about their relationships and it didn't take long for their girls to become the butt of every sexual joke in the book. He hadn't let that happen to Halli and he sure as hell wasn't going to let it happen to Katie. Although, Matt was sure Kelly would beat the hell out of any guy who made an inappropriate joke about any of his sisters, sexual or not. When it came to his sisters, Kelly Severide had a loyalty streak that ran deep and a love for them that ran even deeper. He would drop what he was doing for them with no questions asked anytime of the day if they needed him. It surprised some people but it didn't surprise Casey, Kelly was deeply loyal to his friends and men. Why would his sisters be any different?

"The hell it's none of my business! She's my little sister and she's moving in with you!" Severide pressed on with the issue, "You're my friend! You're not supposed to sleep with my sister but apparently you have and as that said sister's brother, I'm allowed to voice my disapproval!"

"I supposedly slept with your sister," Casey amended not willing to give Kelly the truth, "I haven't said anything incriminating. You're jumping the gun and making your own conclusions."

"You haven't even asked for my blessing or my father's blessing to move in with her," Kelly choked out as a weak defense.

"I didn't know I needed your blessings," Casey replied trying to hold back laughter at the look on Severide's face.

"You haven't asked yet! I'm still waiting to hear you as if it's alright for you to move in with my baby sister Casey."

"Your sister just turned thirty. I think she's an adult that can make her own decisions."

"You have a history with women that I don't trust," Kelly said with a serious face and tone.

Casey doubled over in laughter at Kelly's words and held onto the side of the truck, "Seriously? That's your argument? I have a history with women?"

"Since we're having this conversation," Kelly continued ignoring Mouch's smile and Otis' laughter as they eavesdropped on the conversation, "Are you going to marry my sister? Is that why you two are moving in together? Because if you're moving in because you want a maid, think again."

"That's between me and her," Casey laughed as he spotted Cruz walking towards them, "I'll see you back at the house Kelly. Cruz! Let's get going! We have to fill up the tank on the way back!"

Kelly stalked away and it made Casey smile even more as he climbed up into the truck.

* * *

It was late in the afternoon and the frosted glass kept prying eyes out as Casey sat at his desk. He wasn't working at all instead he was kissing Katie as she sat in his lap. She smelt good like raspberries and flowers. Her hair was pulled back in sleek ponytail and her heels had fallen off her feet. She kicked them aside as her fingers explored the skin beneath his shirt collar while he resisted the urge to pull the zipper that kept her dress on down.

"I should go," she whispered as she pulled back and brushed her thumb against his bottom lip with a smile.

"Stay," Casey urged her softly as he wrapped his arms tightly around her waist, "Go when there's a call. You can sneak out and no one will see you."

"You mean Kelly won't see me," Katie amended as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

"That too," he smiled back.

"Are we going to have a fight over this?"

"You could just kiss me instead," Matt offered with a grin. Katie gave in to his words and returned her lips to his. They were so lost in the kiss that neither of them heard the knock at the door until a voice called out.

"Casey!" Severide's voice sounded through the door.

Katie instantly broke the kiss and covered her mouth to stop the laughing.

"What?" Matt called back as Katie buried her face in his neck with shaking shoulders.

"Hermann wants to see you," Kelly called back as he leaned against the door frame, "He's been looking for you."

"Tell him I'll find him soon."

"Is that after you've made out with my sister like a horny teenager?"

Katie's shoulders began to shake harder as she tried to hide her laughter.

"Your sister isn't here," Casey lied and tried not to laugh.

"Your door is frosted glass. I can see the outline of someone on your lap. Unless you're cheating on her, Katie is in there. Plus her car is pared down the street," Kelly said.

"Go away Kelly," Katie laughed as she brought her head up, "We're busy."

"Mom said you should call her," Severide told her, "She wants to know about your birthday plans."

They watched Kelly's shadow leave and Katie reached behind Matt to grab her phone.

"One missed call and a new voicemail."

Katie dialed the voicemail and put it on speaker phone.

"Katherine Debra," Roxanne Severide said in her thick New Jersey accent, "This is your mother. I don't know why you and Kelly aren't returning my calls but I would like to talk to you. Call me soon! We're supposed to be having a party for you but you haven't returned my calls. Call me or your father. I don't care just pick up the damn phone and call us goddamn it. Love you."

Matt laughed as Katie deleted the message, "Your mother never leaves you a dull message."

Katie smiled and began kissing him again but he stopped her.

"I should go talk to Hermann," Casey told her softly as he reached up to untangle her arms from his neck. His hands touched a tender spot on Katie's arms and she shot up out of his lap like his touch had burned her. Katie cradled her arm to her chest and Matt was at her side in a moment asking what was wrong.

"It's nothing," she told him quickly trying to avoid having a conversation with him about Greg's drunken appearance that morning.

"That's not true Katie," Matt said sounding upset, "What's wrong? Did I hurt you?"

"Promise me you won't get mad," Katie whispered, "Please?"

"I'm not making that promise because I don't think I can keep it," he replied as he pried her arms away from her body and gently pulled her soft cardigan down her arms. The bruises that Greg had earlier in the morning had already begun to turn a nasty blue that was outlined by dark purple and were in the shape of hand prints.

"What the hell happened Katie?" Matt asked sharply and he stared at her arms. Anger flashed in his eyes and even though Katie knew he would never hurt her, she didn't want to tell him.

"I fell this morning," she lied quickly as shame filled her. She didn't want him to know that Greg had met her at work. Casey would tell Kelly and they would both make her go to the police and that wasn't something she wanted to do.

"You fell?" he asked in disbelief, "Katie these are hand marks. Don't lie! Who did this?"

"Matthew please it's nothing…" she tried protesting but if fell on deaf ears.

"Did Colton do this to you?" he asked her angrily.

The look on her face must have confirmed what he said because Casey closed his eyes and turned away, "Where and when did this happen?"

Katie watched him sit back down in his desk chair and pulled her cardigan back on, "Please…it's nothing. Don't make this bigger than-"

"How can you say that?" Casey snapped at her, "Katherine there are bruises on your arms! I'm not going to sit here and let you tell me it's nothing and I'm most certainly not going to sit here while someone is out there putting bruises on you! So please just be honest with me and tell me what happened."

In that moment Katie burst into tears, she didn't want to fight with him and she didn't want him and Kelly lecturing her on why she needed to go to the police. She felt a pair of strong arms wrap around her petite frame and pull her close.

"I'm sorry," she told him as she choked on her tears, "Please don't make me go to the police. That's all you and Kelly told me to do and I don't want to do that."

She could feel his lips pressing into the top of her head and it only made her cry more.

"Okay, I won't say anything but please tell me what happened," Matt whispered to her softly.

Katie was quiet as she wrapped her arms around his torso and rested her head on his chest. Casey was warm and just being in his arm made her feel like she was in the safest place in the world. She could feel his fingers brushing over her hair as she pulled away from him and wiped her eyes.

"He was waiting for me in the parking lot this morning. He was drunk and I could smell the liquor on him breath. He just grabbed me and started going on and on about how everything was my fault. From his wife leaving him to his kids hating him and apparently it's my fault he lost his job too. He pushed me away when Gracie Harper showed up threatening to call the police if he didn't stop. He left and that was the end of it. Please don't be angry at me."

Casey gently cupped her cheeks and brushed away her tears, "I'm not angry at you Katie. I'm sad that you weren't going to tell me. Promise me if he comes after you again you won't try and hid it. Please? I don't want anything bad happening to you that I can prevent from happening."

Katie nodded hugged him tightly again. He held to him tightly and kissed the top of her head again.

"None of this is your fault," he whispered to her softly, "Don't think that for one moment. That animal is responsible for his own actions, not you."

Katie nodded again as a call came in for Casey and Kelly.

"I've got to go. Go home and get some sleep. We'll finish this conversation later," he told her quickly. Katie didn't even get the chance to reply as Casey ran out the door.

"Stay safe," she whispered softly.

* * *

Casey walked down the baking good aisle of the local grocery store a week later in search of instant cupcake mix. Katie's birthday was the next day and he had to work. Instead of celebrating tomorrow night, Casey had decided that he'd make her a romantic dinner and dessert as an earlier celebration. Dawson had showed him how to make cupcake balls with frosting and Casey was hoping that he could remake what she'd showed him decently.

The bruises on Katie's arm had started to fade but she'd stopped going into work early and staying late. Instead, she'd been bringing work home and he liked watching her work. He especially liked watching her work in one of his t-shirts and nothing else. She was very distracting when she sat at his dining room table as she worked during a football game biting her bottom lips with her hair up in a bun and a few wisps at the base of her neck tantalizing him.

Grabbing a box of vanilla cake mix, Casey dropped it into the small basket he had and a container of Betty Crocker's vanilla frosting too. Looking over the list he'd written down to ensure he didn't forget anything, Casey was surprised when he looked up to see the last person he'd thought he'd ever see standing in front of him.

Halli…

* * *

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	9. Nine: (You Want To) Make A Memory

**Author's Note: **

**I know, I know...I'm a horrible updater but see below for more! Sorry for this one being kinda short...  
**

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Nine: (You Want To) Make A Memory**

"…_How's your life, it's been a while  
God it's good to see you smile  
I see you reaching for your keys  
Looking for a reason not to leave_

_If you don't know if you should stay_  
_If you don't say what's on your mind_  
_Baby just breathe_  
_There's nowhere else tonight we should be_

_You wanna make a memory?_

_I dug up this old photograph_  
_Look at all that hair we had._  
_It's bittersweet to hear you laugh_  
_Your phone is ringing I don't wanna ask_

_If you go now, I'll understand_  
_If you stay, hey, I've got a plan_  
_We're gonna make a memory_  
_You wanna steal a piece of time_  
_You can sing the melody to me_  
_And I can write a couple of lines_

_You wanna make a memory?_

_If you don't know if you should stay_  
_And you don't say what's on your mind_  
_Baby just breathe_  
_There's nowhere else tonight we should be_  
_We Should be_

_You wanna make a memory_  
_You wanna steal a piece of time_  
_You can sing the melody to me_  
_And I can write a couple of lines…"_

~ "(You Want To) Make A Memory" – Bon Jovi

**November 1…**

Casey was shocked. He hadn't seen Halli in months and yet her smile filled him with hauntingly warm feeling.

"I thought I saw you," she smiled, "I just wanted to see you and hear how everything's going."

He swallowed trying to find the right words. Just seeing her was shocking and he wasn't sure what to do.

"Everything's been great," he managed, "Everyone is good too. How have you been?"

"Great," Halli smiled and Casey felt butterflies in his stomach, "Really great. I've been working at the hospital still. They cut back so shifts have been longer but it's been great."

"Are you still working in the ER?"

"No I'm actually doing an OB/GYN rotation. I've been covering for one of the residence and it's been interesting. I like it."

"That's great," Casey smiled happily, "I'm glad you're finding something you enjoy."

"What about you? It looks like you're cooking," Halli said, "A birthday?"

"Uh yeah, this…girl I've been seeing…her birthday is tomorrow and I…I have to work and I wanted to do something nice for her."

Halli's smile left her face and she nodded, "Well…I won't keep you from going home then. It was good to see you again Matt."

She turned away without another word and Casey felt a pang in his chest that was almost a physical ache as he watched her leave. Casey couldn't stop himself as he opened his mouth and called to her.

"Halli!"

She stopped and turned to look at him curiously.

"Did you want to get dinner sometime?"

* * *

Casey gently trailed his fingers up and down Katie's bare arm. They were laying on his couch together with most of the lights turned off and a movie playing quietly. Katie was small enough that she could lay snuggled up to his side with her back towards the back cushions. It was a snug fit but it was somehow extremely comfortable too.

The black and white movie played on the TMC channel but he didn't hear what George Peck was saying. All he could think about was seeing Halli again. She'd been beautiful and he'd been shocked to just see her in fact, the shock still hadn't worn off. There had been a thrill in seeing her that he couldn't shake. Memories had been racing through his mind since he'd said good bye to her in the store. Memories that he didn't want to remember either. He had memories of kissing her and touching her too. He had memories of Halli laughing with him at hockey games or smiling while getting food at the store. Memories of what it felt like to lay with her rushed through his mind in a blur too. He could imagine Katie's head being Halli's and it made him feel guiltier than ever before but like always, he quickly pushed the guilt away are knew that despite the months of denial, he was still in love with Halli.

A small voice in the back of his head asked him if he was ready to break things off with Katie too. It wasn't fair that he still had feelings for another woman while he dated Katie. She deserved to find someone who could love her like she deserved to be love. She was a beautiful, passionate woman but he wasn't sure that he could love her like she needed to be loved. In fact, Casey was sure he couldn't love her like she deserved because he still was in love with Halli. Yes, he cared for Katie. How could he not? She was a good woman who once she'd opened up to him, gave him everything she could give. She was loving and supportive while being kind and caring. She was capable of loving people despite their many faults and she never gave up on them. In every way, Katie was the polar opposite of Halli and that's what had attracted him in the beginning but Casey wondered now if he'd done that on purpose. If the whole reason why he'd started dating Katie was because she was the polar opposite of Halli.

In the back of his mind, Casey wanted to deny it but he knew it was true. He was using Katie simply as a crutch until he could get back with Halli. Never in his life had Casey ever felt as conflicted as he felt laying on his couch. No decision seemed to be the right one when it came to Halli and Katie.

A blanket being pulled over him brought Casey out of his thoughts as Katie wrapped them up with the quilt that he'd had on the back of his couch.

"Cold?" he asked her gently as he wrapped his arms around her tighter.

"Just a little," Katie smiled as she looked up at him. She frowned a little and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay?" she asked, "You've been really quiet all evening."

Gently tucking a loose strand of dark hair behind her ear, Casey smiled.

"I'm fine, just tired."

"Is there anything I can do?" Katie asked with a teasing smile.

He didn't reply but kissed her softly hoping that her kiss could chase Halli out of his head. Gregory Peck's voice drifted in the background as Casey flipped them over so that Katie was under him. Her thighs parted and welcomed his body into the cradle of her hips as his hands began exploring her body eagerly. Her hands slipped beneath the hem of his t-shirt and touched his skin. The contact of her skin against his ignited a flame of passion in his body and he didn't want to stop. His shirt was dragged higher and higher over his chest until it was tossed away. He dragged his lips away from hers and trailed wet, hot kisses down her neck as he blindly tried to find the button of her jeans...

* * *

**November 9…**

Casey sat at the small booth that he'd reserved for dinner with Halli. Lying to Katie had been harder than he ever thought possible. She'd looked at him like she could see right through his lie. He'd been waiting for her to call him on it all week when he'd told her on her birthday night that he'd been caught up in the surprise of Mouch offering to go to dinner with him and discuss a few things he wanted done. Katie had stared at him for a moment and he'd held his breath waiting for her to announce she knew he was lying.

Instead she'd nodded and had laid back down with him. She'd sent him a text earlier telling him to wish Mouch well. It only made it harder for him to accept that she'd trusted him even when there had been doubt in his eyes. Checking his watch again, Casey looked up and smiled as he saw Halli walking towards him in a nice skinny jeans and a cardigan.

"I knew you'd be here early," she smiled, "You always liked to be early to things."

Casey smiled back as Halli sat down across from him.

"What can I say? I'm a stickler for being on time," he said.

A waiter approached them at the right moment and quickly took their orders for drinks. He left them with menus and Casey felt the silence fill between them. He wasn't sure what to say now that he was with Halli. Showing up seemed to be like such a good idea before but now he wasn't sure that dinner with Halli was a good idea.

"How has work been?" Halli asked leaning forward, "Your contracting business?"

"Busy," Casey said, "But it will slow down soon once we get further into winter."

"And the fire house? How has that been?"

"Good…the same as always. How have you been at the hospital?" Casey asked.

"Good. I've been working in maternity," Halli smiled brightly, "I've decided to specialize in it actually."

"That's great," he smiled back, "What made you want to do that?"

Halli shifted in her seat and sighed, "After we broke up…I needed something to do to occupy my empty time. I couldn't stop thinking about you and just working gave me something to focus on. I started taking extra shifts in maternity and the NICU. The more I did it the more I realized that I enjoyed working with moms. I guess everything feel into place."

It wasn't her admission of enjoying being around mothers that stunned Matt into silence but rather her admission that she couldn't stop thinking about him. If he'd known the feeling was mutual when they'd broken up he'd have gone after her right away but instead, like always, Halli had kept him at arm lengths away and never told him what she felt or thought.

"Matt I have a question for you," she asked quietly, "Would there ever be a chance for us to try again? I do love you and care about you. I get that you're seeing another woman but…is the history between us too much that we can never try to make it work again?"

"I've thought about you too Halli," he said gently after a moment of silence as he reached his hand across the table to cover hers, "I do love you and I always will but I don't know what the future holds. Don't think I'm saying that I don't ever want to be with you. You're my best friend and I always want you in my life but I just don't know about the future."

* * *

Kelly Severide grabbed the extra bag of food that he and Shay had gotten to take home. Things had been a little awkward between them ever since she'd asked him to get her pregnant. His first instinct had been to say yes but surprisingly Kay had talked him out of it. She asked him for a moment to imagine meeting the woman of his dreams and wanting her to have his children. He did that and in that one moment he'd figured out that as much as he loved Leslie, he still wanted that one special woman to have his babies and raise them with him.

Shay had understood when he'd explained things to her and he'd even offered to help her find a donor but that awkwardness hadn't quite dissipated yet. It would with time, Kelly was confident of that but they were still in that stage of trying to get over the previous awkwardness. Dinner had been a step in the right direction for them and Kelly was grateful for that.

"Ready?" Shay asked with a smile as she put her coat on.

Kelly nodded and followed her behind as they walked towards the exit. The image of Casey sitting with a brunette woman stopped him in his tracks however. He instantly knew that the woman wasn't Katie. Katie was more petite than the woman Casey was sitting with and it made him do a double take to make sure he wasn't drunk or hallucinating.

Kelly's eyebrows shot up in the air. He was trying to determine if he was really seeing Halli and Casey together or if Shay had slipped him some kind of drugs over dinner. There was no way in hell that Casey should be having dinner with his ex-girlfriend while he was dating Katie. The thought struck Kelly that maybe Katie and Casey had broken and Halli was a rebound date but Kelly dismissed the thought as quick as it came. Katie would be in tears and absolutely heartbroken if things were over with Casey. Kelly was sure if she and Casey had broken up, Katie would have been on his doorstep in tears.

"You sure you're ready?" Shay asked again as she appeared next to him with annoyed look.

"Yeah," Kelly told her as he shifted his focus away from Casey. Shay would probably make a scene if she found out what was going on and that was the last thing he wanted. He led the way to the door and held it open long enough to see Casey's hand reach across the candle lit table to Halli's.

"You okay?" Shay asked again as Kelly stood holding the door open.

"I think I'm gonna be sick," he replied hoping that Casey wasn't cheating on his baby sister. Casey was starting to grow on him and he didn't want to have to kick his co-worker's ass on the job.

* * *

**November 13…**

Casey sat on the bench in the locker rooms trying to figure out what was wrong. Something inside him felt off and he couldn't figure out what it was. Dinner with Halli the other night had been fine. They'd talked and he'd final admitted the truth that he'd been fighting for so long, he loved her and probably always would love her. Admitting that truth had been freeing but it brought up other feelings as well. Feelings he couldn't describe. He'd lied to Katie earlier about having dinner with Mouch and he did feel guilty but not guilty enough that it would cause such an emotional unrest in him that was happening.

Before he could think any further, Kelly came around the corner with a smirk.

"You're going to laugh at me when I tell you this," he said.

"What's so funny?" Casey asked deciding to push away the turmoil in his mind.

"Shay and I went out to dinner the other night. I saw Halli."

Panic swelled inside of Matt. Severide had seen them and would probably tell Katie. Kelly always told Katie the truth and Matt's stomach churned.

"Really?" he managed to say calmly.

"Yeah and I swore I saw a guy who looked exactly like you," Kelly laughed, "I told Shay I think either she slipped something into my food or I had one to many beers. Either way it was funny."

"I, uh, was having dinner with Mouch last week," Casey told Kelly just like he'd told Katie.

"Hey, I don't care who you had dinner with last night. I just thought it was funny that I was so drunk that I thought I saw you," Severide retorted sharply.

In that moment, Casey knew that Kelly had been feeling him out. It would be better in the long run if he was honest with Kelly and just told him that dinner with Halli had been completely innocent. He wasn't going to leave Katie and yes, he still had feelings for Halli but they weren't the same feelings he had for Katie. Just as Casey was about to open his mouth to reply, a call came in for Truck 81, Ambulance 61 and Rescue Squad.

"Saved by the bell," Kelly told him as he turned away.

* * *

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**So yes, I know I've been a very bad author and haven't updated. But I have good news! This story along with my other Pretty Little Liar fan fic THE REAL THING will be having new chapters posted every TUESDAY now that AND I WILL LET YOU GO is finished! As I've probably said before, this whole story is already outlined and chapters are written for it so it won't be long waits anymore! I hope that people are still reading and haven't been chased off by the long wait! I do always finish my stories though! I promise!**

**See you Tuesday!**

**R4L:)**

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	10. Ten: Candles

**Author's Note:**

**Thanks to everyone who left a review! If you're reading leave a little message! Love knowing what you think of this story!  
**

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Ten: Candles **

"…_Blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles  
"You're too old to be so shy," he says to me so I stay the night  
Just a young heart confusing my mind, but we're both in silence  
Wide-eyed, both in silence  
Wide-eyed, like we're in a crime scene_

_Well I have brittle bones it seems_  
_I bite my tongue and torch my dreams_  
_Have a little voice to speak with_  
_And a mind of thoughts and secrecy_  
_Things cannot be reversed, we learn from the times we are cursed_  
_Things cannot be reversed, learn from the ones we fear the worst_  
_And learn from the ones we hate the most how to_

_Blow out all the candles, blow out all the candles_  
_"You're too old to be so shy," he says to me so I stay the night_  
_Just a young heart confusing my mind, but we're both in silence_  
_Wide-eyed, both in silence_  
_Wide-eyed_

_Cause we both know I'll never be your lover_  
_I only bring the heat_  
_Company under cover_  
_Filling space in your sheets_  
_Well I'll never be a lover_  
_I only bring the heat_  
_Company under cover_  
_Filling space in your sheets, in your sheets…"_

~ "Candles" - Daughter

**November 15…**

Kelly looked up hearing his front door open. He hadn't slept well in two nights and he was tired. Ever since seeing Casey and Halli together his stomach had been churning. He really had thought that Katie had found the one in Casey and he was terrified for her if it turned out that Casey didn't want her the same way she wanted him. His sister had been through enough heart breaks and he didn't want her to have to deal with anymore. Not when it was obvious that she'd fallen hard and fast for Matthew Casey.

"Hello!" Katie sang as she walked down his hallway with a bright smile on her face and Kay following her at slower pace. His youngest sister closed the door behind her with a kick behind her and he almost laughed reading her shirt. The words 'I'm A Keeper' were printed in bold gold letters and the three hoops from Harry Potter's quidditch game were across her chest. It was hard to believe that Katie who was dressed in a pair of jeans, a white tank top and a black blazer was related to the little squirt with her. They were polar opposites but the same in many ways that stumped Kelly over and over again

"Good morning to you too," Kelly said as poured himself a cup of coffee.

"We thought we'd stop by and say hello before we headed out to see mom," Kay smiled as she sat down on one of Kelly's bar stools, "Totally love what you've done with the place BTW."

Kelly looked up to see that the entire apartment had been cleaned by Shay during one of her OCD cleaning episodes she'd been having recently. The furniture had even been rearranged. He hadn't noticed and shrugged.

"Funny. Well here's your hello," Kelly said with a smile, "Now goodbye skittles."

Kay burst out laughing as Katie sat down next to her, "Where did you come up with the candy nicknames for us? Is Shay here? Maybe she knows."

"Upstairs," Kelly grunted as he raised his cup of coffee to his lips, "Go bother her."

Kay shook her head and slid off the stool. She walked away quickly and was up the steps before either Katie or Kelly could speak.

"So," Kelly started after a few minutes of silence, "Are you and Casey still dating?"

Katie raised her eyebrow, "Why would ask that?"

"Shit," Kelly grumbled as he put his cup of coffee back down.

"Kelly what are you talking about?"

"Has he had dinner with anyone recently?"

"He went to dinner with Mouch recently. Why are you asking these questions?"

"Oh Christ," Kelly grunted as he opened a kitchen drawer and started to go through it.

"Would you just tell me what the hell you're talking about!" Katie snapped at him as Kelly raised his arms defensively from the drawer.

"Don't get angry at me," he told her, "I'm just asking questions."

"Questions that make no absolute sense Kelly! What is going on? Why are you asking me these things?" she snapped again as she stood up and walked around the island.

Kelly sighed and closed the drawer having found what he was looking for, "Casey didn't have dinner with Mouch. He had dinner with his ex-fiancé Halli."

"What? That's…that's not true. He's over Halli! Why would he lie about that? I don't believe you!"

"Katie I watched him with my own eyes," Kelly said gently, "I was at the same restaurant that he was that night. He was sitting at a candle lit table looking cozy with Halli. I've been debating on whether or not to tell you but I think you deserve to know. I don't think Casey is over Halli. I think he's still very much in love with her."

A single tear trickled down Katie's cheek as Kelly pushed his receipt from the restaurant towards her. It was for the same night that Casey had claimed to go to lunch with Mouch around the same time. Every instinct in her screamed to deny Kelly but a little voice in the back of her head asked her if she truly believed that Matt had been completely honest recently. She caught him zoning off sometimes and being defensive about his phone on more than one occasion. She was a smart woman and it didn't take her much time to connect the dots in her head. She trusted Kelly with her life and knew that he would never lie to her to hurt her. She couldn't come up with one reason why he would lie about Casey having dinner with Halli. He had always been supportive and loving. There was nothing to suggest that he was lying to her but she still didn't believe that Casey was cheating. There had to be a logical explanation. Maybe it was simply dinner between friends and he was scared she would react badly to him having dinner with a friend who happened to be a girl.

"What were they doing?" Katie asked quietly as she pushed the receipt back to Kelly.

"Talking," Kelly told her softly, "He was…holding her hand Kate. I don't know what's going on between them but you should talk to him. Figure out what's going on before you jump to any real conclusions. I don't know if this is the first time they've met or what but don't…just talk to him."

Katie didn't say anything but walked off shaking her head.

"Katie!" Kelly called after her as she moved to the door and she stopped.

"He would do that. He just wouldn't. He's not like that," she told him before turning and walking out of the apartment alone.

* * *

Katie pushed open the front door of Matt's house quietly and listened to the silence of the house late in the evening. She knew he'd be off work soon but it didn't matter. After hearing Kelly's story this morning, Katie had left Kay at Kelly's apartment and had gone walking. She'd had no destination in mind but had simply wondered around Chicago trying to figure out what to do with the information Kelly had given her. In a few hours, Katie had come to terms that she wasn't okay with Casey having dinner with his ex-fiancé and lying about it. In fact, she wasn't okay with him having a candle lit dinner with the woman he claimed he was over at all.

What hurt the most was that Casey was lying to everyone. He'd lied to Kelly and he'd lied to her but most especially he lied to himself. Dropping her bag on the dining room table, Katie sat down and tried not to cry like she so desperately wanted. She wasn't sure what she was going to say when she confronted Matt about Halli but she knew she had to say something. Not saying something wasn't an option. She sat there for over twenty minutes trying to come up with something to say when the front door opened and Casey walked in with a smile.

"I thought I saw your car outside," he said as he closed the door behind him. She tried to smile and not cry at the thought that the almost perfect man in front of her would be seeing his fiancé behind her back. She desperately tried to deny everything that Kelly had said earlier. Katie didn't want to believe any of it and quickly stood up. She walked to him quickly and kissed him. His lips' touching hers was the final push she needed into forgetting everything that Kelly had said. Just being in his arms was enough for her to forget anything. Casey was caught off guard by the kiss but he quickly began to kiss her back with equal passion.

Katie wasn't sure how they made it but somehow they'd managed to get to the bedroom. Articles of clothing had been dropped all the way there until she could feel the cool sheets underneath her hot skin when she lay down on the bed. His lips had stopped being so rough against hers and instead turned into gentle feather light kisses down her neck. Katie closed her eyes let herself succumb to the feelings that Casey created in her body. His hand slipped into her grasp and Katie held on tightly hoping he'd never let go of her because she didn't want him to ever let her go because of one simple reason.

She'd fallen in love with him.

She'd fallen in love with his smile and his laugh. She'd fallen in love with every part of him. The good, the bad and the ugly parts of him she loved. She loved how when he smiled he almost had dimples. She loved him and she didn't want to lose him because he was the first man she could imagine having a future with and waking up every morning together for a lifetime. Despite everything that Kelly had told her earlier in the morning; Katie still loved him and wanted him.

Lying in bed in the aftermath of having loved him, Katie knew didn't have the courage to say the words out loud but she loved him as much as she could hoping that somehow he'd understand but she knew deep down that he'd never fully understand how much she loved him because his heart already belonged to another woman and that realization almost made Katie cry as gently trailed his fingertips up and down her arm.

"So why did you jump me at the door?" Casey asked with a grin as he looked at her.

Katie tried to smile but knew she failed when Casey frowned a little.

"Is everything okay?" he asked.

"Everything is fine," Katie said as she moved over so that she could cover his body with hers, "Everything is perfect."

She kissed him and let herself become lost in him again.

* * *

**November 16…**

"I didn't confront him on it," Katie said the next morning and Kelly Severide rubbed his forehead. She was in denial and he could hear it in her voice. He was desperate to protect Katie from as much heart ache as possible but he was quickly realizing that Katie was blinded by her feelings and trust. She wanted Matt to be a fairy tale and he wasn't that. He was still in love with Halli and God only knew how long he'd been seeing Halli behind Katie's back. A part of him wanted to confront Casey on his own again and demand answers but a part of him knew that Katie had to discover the truth on her own. She'd never really believe him until she saw the truth for herself. It was a harsh reality but it was the only way.

"Listen I've got to go," Kelly said as he looked at his watch, "I'll talk to you later Katie."

They ended the call and Kelly punched the locker as hard as he could in frustration. The throbbing in his hand didn't help the anger he felt on the inside. He was still pissed at Casey for going behind his sister's back and not choking the son of a bitch was becoming difficult.

"You alright?" Shay asked as she turned the counter looking at him with concern.

"I'm fine," Kelly snapped before turning to walk away.

"Have you told Katie?"

Shay's words made Kelly stop in his tracks. He turned and looked back at her.

"Tell Katie what?"

"Don't think that I didn't see Casey and Halli together at the restaurant a week ago either," Shay sighed, "Have you told her that Casey is possibly seeing his ex-fiancé again?"

"Of course I told her," Kelly snapped again, "She's my baby sister! I don't want to see her get hurt but she…I think she's confused on what to do. After all that shit with Greg Colton Katie's probably in denial. She's probably thinking that somehow I miss read the situation or some other kind of BS like that. The only way she's going to find out the truth is if she gets her gets her heart smashed into a thousand pieces. If you thought she fell apart after Colton, Katie will be a mess after Casey."

"You know she may never find out," Shay said quietly, "Casey may still come to his senses."

"Casey is so hung up on Halli he can't even see past her. He doesn't see that it's my sister who is going to get her heart smashed into a million pieces. He's not going to be the one who helps to put her back together…if we can put her back together," Kelly sighed, "She's my baby sister…I don't want to see her hurt."

"We could talk to Casey," Shay suggested.

"That's gonna do jack shit. I'll choke him before I talk to him."

"Then you're just going to have to let Katie do this herself. You've done all you can do Kelly. You told her what you saw and if she doesn't believe it…it's out of your hands."

"That doesn't make me feel better," Kelly said as he began pacing like a caged animal.

"It's not meant to. You can't keep your sisters from heartbreak like you want to. It's just not possible," Shay said as she sat down on the bench, "She'll figure it out soon Kelly. You just have to be there to catch her. That's all you can do."

* * *

**November 17…**

Katie's heels clicked against the cement of the floor of the fire house as she walked towards the kitchen. It was late and the next shift was already working.

Hugh Chandler, the man in-charge of the shift recognized her and stood. He smiled at her and walked over.

"It's good to see you Katie Severide," he grinned as he gave her a hug.

"You too Hugh," Katie smiled as she hugged the older man back.

"Is your brother still creating as much havoc as possible?"

Katie chuckled, "You know my brother. He hasn't changed and he'll be a trouble maker for years to come."

Hugh chuckled and walked her into the mostly empty kitchen, "What brings you by?"

"Treats," Katie said offering him the bowl of chocolate covered pretzels she was holding.

"Mouch just finished ours off," Hugh chuckled, "Thanks Katie."

"I thought Mouch hated pretzels."

"He's got some date tonight. I guess he's been meeting this woman from Japan he's been seeing over the internet or something like that."

Katie's heart stopped in her chest. Her cell phone burned a hole in her pocket as she remember the text message that Casey had sent to her before he got off shift. His message had been brief saying that he was going out to dinner with Mouch and not to worry if he was home late. Swallowing, Katie shifter her wait nervously.

"I thought Mouch was having dinner with someone else," she said fishing for an answer to the mystery.

"Nope," Hugh said with a shake of his head, "Mouch left about ten minutes ago. He was all dolled up. They were going to some fancy place downtown."

Katie nodded and gave a shaky smile, "Well enjoy the…treats. I've got to get going."

Hugh saw her to her car and left. Katie's hands shook as she tried to start the car and fight the feeling of dread filling her insides. Twice Casey lied about who he was having dinner with and warning bells were going off in her head. She hadn't felt like this sense she'd found out about Greg being married. Praying that somehow this was all a mistake, Katie started her car and continued praying that the feeling in her stomach was wrong.

This wasn't happening again…it couldn't be happening again.

* * *

The clouds were gray outside but Casey ignored it and watched Halli play nervously with the napkin in her hands. They sat in a small restaurant and he felt like they were saying things to each other that should have been said months ago. If they had, Casey was sure they would still be together. It amazed him how much unsaid things affected relationships.

"All the changes scared me," she admitted quietly, "Everything changed so quickly and then you wanted a family and I wasn't sure and…I was scared Matt."

"Why didn't you ever tell me that?" Casey asked reaching for Halli's hands, "You could have told me Halli."

"You are always so sure of everything Matt," she told him with a sad smile, "I just…I felt…I don't know. I just know that I didn't want to tell you that I was fearful. Maybe I felt that it was a sigh of weakness but whatever it was I feel like because I didn't voice that it was my fault that everything fell apart."

"Halli a lot of things went into our break up…don't think that that was the only thing. We…both had separate things happening in our lives and I don't blame you and I don't blame me. It just happened. I don't think any less of you because you were honest and told me you weren't sure you wanted kids. I'm happy you told me that. I don't ever want you to feel trapped or like you don't have a choice. I love you far too much to make you do something you don't want to do."

Halli looked up at him with hope in her eyes, "You love me still."

"I'll love you no matter what happens," he told her softly, "I will say it as many times as you need me to say it."

"I don't want you to stop saying it," she whispered back.

* * *

Katie looked across the street to see Casey and Halli sitting in a window booth of the bar. Casey was speaking to her with a look of complete adoration on his face and it nearly broke her heart. He and Halli were holding hands on the table and she could hardly to stand and watch. A wet drop touched her cheek and Katie wasn't sure if it was a tear of if the rain that the weatherman had been predicting all day had finally come. Within a minute, the heavens opened and rain came down pouring in buckets. She'd been driving home and had decided to take the long way home. She'd nearly rear ended the car in front of her when she saw Casey's truck.

Parking down the street, Katie had watched both of them arrive and had witnessed Casey kissing Halli's cheek. If she thought that watching that had been painful, she'd been wrong. The longer she watched, the realization that Kelly had been right the entire time about Casey not being over Halli had sunk in. Denial had been swept away by the river of truth and it hurt so much. Katie barely registered the rain as she continued to watch Casey with Halli while listening to her fragile heart break into two pieces again.

They didn't look like two friends catching up or anything like she'd lied to herself. Instead they looked like two lovers who hadn't seen each other in a long time. A dull pain was developing in body and she watched what Kelly told her to be true. Casey had never been over Halli. He was still very much in love with her and it was written all over his face and body language. She'd been the crutch he'd used until he could get to this very moment.

An umbrella came over her head and Katie looked up tearfully to see Kelly standing there behind her. Without saying a word, Katie fell into his open arms trying to fighting the tears that threatened to fall.

"I got you," Kelly said as he wrapped an arm around her shaking shoulders. He tucked her into his side and they slowly walked to his car.

* * *

**LEAVE A REVIEW! LEAVE A REVIEW! LEAVE A REVIEW!**

**So...drama is defiantly heating up. I know that Katie is all over the place emotionally. I'm not really happy with this but in her defense she is really confused with a lot of denial and now you are too but everything will be resolved soon! I posted this a day earlier because I wasn't sure if would be able to post tomorrow night! See you next Tuesday!**

**Leave a review and tell me what you think Katie will do!**


	11. Eleven: Love the Way You Lie (Part One)

**Thanks to everyone who left a review!**

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Eleven: Love the Way You Lie (PART ONE)**

"_...Just gonna stand there and watch me burn  
That's alright because I like the way it hurts  
Just gonna stand there and hear me cry  
That's alright because I love the way you lie  
I love the way you lie_

_I can't tell you what it really is, I can only tell you what it feels like_  
_And right now there's a steel knife in my windpipe, I can't breathe_  
_But I still fight while I can fight_

_As long as the wrong feels right, It's like I'm in flight_  
_High of a love, Drunk from the hate_  
_It's like I'm huffin' paint_  
_And I love it the more that I suffer_  
_I suffocate and right before I'm about to drown_  
_She resuscitates me, she f*! ing hates me_  
_And I love it_  
_Wait_  
_Where you going_  
_I'm leaving you_  
_No! You ain't come back_  
_We're running right back_  
_Here we go again_  
_It's so insane_  
_'Cause when it's going good_  
_It's going great_  
_I'm Superman with the wind at his back_  
_She's Lois Lane_  
_But when it's bad it's awful…_

_…Just gonna stand there and watch me burn_  
_That's alright because I like the way it hurts_  
_Just gonna stand there and hear me cry_  
_That's alright because I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie…"_

~ "Love The Way You Lie" – Eminem feat. Rihanna

**Two Days Later…November 19…**

Casey sat on the bench in the locker room. Dinner with Halli had been wonderful. They'd talked about feelings, hopes and dreams that they had never talked about. Once Halli had admitted that she'd been fearful, things had started pouring out and it had felt like a therapeutic purge of some kind between them. Casey finally understood why they'd broken up so many times and it was because of miscommunication and hurt feelings. Secrets had destroyed them to some degree but sharing all those hurts and such that they'd both kept hidden had been healing. In the middle of the whole swirling vortex of emotion was one person.

Katie.

As much as Matt wanted to deny he didn't love her, he knew that it was impossible to say he didn't. Somehow she'd snuck into his heart and had taken a piece of it. She was the complete opposite of Halli and that was why he probably loved her. Everything about her was thrilling and different. Getting to know her made him only curious to know more and before he'd even know it he'd fallen for her. He'd always assumed it was impossible to be in love with two people at once but now that he was in that very same situation he knew he'd been wrong. He loved Halli very deeply and very much but he also loved Katie in an entirely different way too. He wanted to be with Halli again though and that's where the confusion and complications started. The sound of a locker opening caused him to break his train of thought. Casey looked up to see Dawson standing there with a smile on her face.

"What's up?"

"Not much," Casey said resting his elbows on his knees.

"How's Katie doing? I know she's been busy with her new job and stuff. She's still drowning in paperwork right?"

Casey cracked a half heart smile, "She's been avoiding me for the past two days. I couldn't tell you anything."

"You guys are having problems?" Dawson asked with a raised eyebrow.

"I don't know Dawson," Casey said realizing that maybe by talking to Dawson he could sort through the emotional hurricane in his mind and make a decision about the women in his life.

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"I've been having dinners with Halli," Casey said bluntly deciding that it would be best to just tell her the absolute truth, "I don't know if Katie knows and that's why she's avoiding me or if she's catching on the something is wrong and is in denial about it. I don't know what happening Gabby. All I know is that I'm in love Halli and I'm in love with Katie."

Dawson stared at him in shock for a few minutes before speaking again.

"You haven't done anything sexual with Halli yet, have you?" she asked tentatively.

"Why would you think that?" Casey snapped, "I said I was having dinner with Halli. Not sleeping with her."

"Because none this looks good Casey. Do you think that Katie is going to believe that you haven't been sleeping with Halli behind her back? You've already been on romantic dinners with Halli and God only knows how many text messages you've sent her. Do you honestly think that Katie isn't going to jump to the conclusion that you haven't been sleeping with Halli?"

Casey sighed and ran his fingers through his hair, "I'm not even sure I want to be with Katie anymore. If Halli and I can fix things then-"

"Don't you dare say that!" Dawson snapped in a rare show of anger, "Katie loves you! You might not see it or maybe she hasn't told you yet but I've seen the way she looks at you when you don't think she's looking. You and Halli have been trying to make a relationship work between you two for years! Katie and Halli are completely opposites and it's a good thing! Katie wants a house full of kids and marriage. The whole nine yards and Halli wants a career! You want the same thing Katie wants! Are you going to go changing what you really want out of life for a woman who has broken up with you not once, not twice but three times Casey?"

"Twice it was my fault," Casey defended.

"Don't," Dawson said shaking her head, "Katie loves you and you're going to ruin the best thing that has ever happened to you. When she walked in that door…she brought Matt Casey back to life. I haven't seen you laugh and enjoy life like in the near year that Katie walked into your life. Don't shoot that to hell Casey because Katie has been burned one too many times. You ruin the good thing you have with her…she won't come back Casey. She will walk out that door and she won't come back to you know matter how much you beg and plead once you realize she's the one that got away."

"Gabby…I can't just shut off my feelings for one of them like you want me too," Casey sighed as he sat down, "I love Halli…and I love Katie. I love them both but I love Halli more. I don't…I can't lose her again. She's all I've ever wanted. Katie…she wonderful and loving and kind but…she's not Halli. You're right though she's made me happy but she can't make me happy like Halli can. Katie has been like a bandage to cover the cut but that cut is healed and I want to make things work with Halli. I know they'll work this time and as much as I don't want to hurt Katie…I love Halli and I want to be with her in the end."

Dawson shook her head, "You're an idiot. You're never going to find someone like Katie again no matter how hard you try Casey. She's like a rare gem. There's only so many of them left in the world that once they're in your grasps you don't let go. I hope you and Halli are happy together. You two deserve each other. Just listening to you talk…Katie deserves so much better than what you've given her. You don't love Casey. If you did you wouldn't be leaving her. Not like this."

Casey watched Dawson go away and he knew she was right. Katie deserved someone better than him, someone who didn't use her as a crutch to get through rough times then toss her aside when something better came along. She deserved so much more than what life had given her and he hoped that she found it but everything he'd told Dawson was true. He loved Halli more than he would ever love Katie. Katie was a bandage but it was time to remove the bandage and get back to real life. He wanted things to work out with Halli desperately. He wanted to spend his life with Halli regardless of if they had kids or anything like that. As long as he had her everything would work out. He had faith that it would work out because it simply had to. He and Halli hadn't gotten this far not to get their happy ending. There was too much love and hope between them for their relationship to fail. Casey clenched his fist and knew that he would do anything to make his relationship with Halli work even if that meant breaking Katie's heart.

* * *

**Friday Evening…November 24…**

It had been over a week since Katie had seen Casey having dinner with Halli. She'd trying to act as normal around him as possible but every time she was around him she'd have that horrible memory of him reaching across the table for Halli's hand.

Running was the one thing that seemed to help chase the memory out of her head. The pavement moved quickly beneath her feet as she ran on the same trail she always did to clear her head. A loop trail that was ten miles from start to finish that was intense and always left her feeling good afterwards. Pushing herself the last half mile, Katie reached the parking lot in record time. Slowing down to jog, she nearly fell over seeing Casey and his truck parked next to her.

"I saw your car over here," he smiled, "I thought I'd stop by. I haven't seen you in a few days."

Katie gave him a soft smile and tried to push the feeling of nausea away, "I'm sorry. Work has been really crazy."

"You want a Gatorade?"

Katie nodded and followed him to the truck. The icy wind that she'd been ignoring for most of her run was coming back with a vengeance as it bit into her skin. Casey handed her a light blue one and she nearly tore the cap off trying to get a drink of it.

"How far did you run today?" he asked as he pulled out a CFD fleece coat out of the back seat.

"Ten miles," Katie said trying to steady her pounding heart as she felt him put the coat on her shoulders. It was warm against her own cold long sleeve shirt and she nearly shivered feeling Casey's hands gently rub her arm. He wasn't supposed to do that to her. Be kind and loving when he was ripping her heart out with all the lies and half-truths in their relationship.

"I figured we could go get dinner tomorrow night," he smiled, "You and me with no interruptions. How does that sound?"

A nasty retort was on her lips asking him if Halli would be there but Katie suppressed it. Instead she gave him another soft smile and nodded.

"I'd like that," she said quietly and a silence passed between them that was uncomfortable. She wondered if he knew that she knew about the dinners with Halli. It was like a canyon of silence and unanswered questions were expanding between them and it nearly made her cry with sadness. Only a month ago everything had seemed so perfect to her. There hadn't been any problems to her knowledge but then again there probably had always been this large problem just swept under the rug. Maybe she'd just chosen to ignore it because she'd thought she'd truly found the one person she'd always wanted in Casey. Had Halli always been there in the background? Had his ex-fiancée always been haunting their relationship and because of the hurt she'd suffered with Greg she'd ignored the obvious to save herself from pain?

Casey broke the silence first by saying he had to get going. He promised to send her a text about meeting up at the diner tomorrow night. With a nodded and a simple goodbye, she walked to her car and wondered if this was hollow feeling was how Kelly felt when his relationship with Renee ended all those years ago. He'd shut down and hadn't talked to anyone but Shay for months. If the feeling she felt inside was how he felt, Katie didn't blame him for not talking to anyone. She didn't want to talk to anyone right now and she felt bad for being a horrible friend to Gracie at work but she couldn't help it. She didn't want to talk to anyone and the last thing she wanted to do was go to dinner with Casey. Katie wasn't sure if she could sit across from him and smile, faking that she was enjoying herself while all along she was silently crying inside.

Getting into her car, Katie started the engine quickly and turned the heat on. She took off the CFD fleece and tossed it into the back seat. Looking at her phone, she saw an invite to go shopping with Shay tomorrow. Texting Shay back that she'd meet her tomorrow at the mall, Katie put her phone down and put the car into reverse praying that her feeling of dread would go away.

* * *

**Saturday…November 25…**

"I like the blue," Shay said as they shopped around one of their favorite stores. It was a small boutique off the main mall that few knew about but it was a gem. The store owner imported clothing from all over Europe and Asia bring excusive fashions from other countries at a reasonable price.

Katie stood in the three way mirror looking at the navy blue dress she currently was trying on. It had three quarter length sleeves with an square neckline and ended about an inch above her knees. It was a nice dress that was simple. It could be appropriate for both work and a date if she changed the jewelry, makeup and hair style later.

"It's in the running," Katie smiled feeling genuinely happy for the first time in a while, "I do like the blue."

"It makes your eyes hot," Shay said as she dramatically batted her eyelashes.

"Please don't ever do that again," Kelly said as he returned with a cup holder and three coffees.

"I'll be back," Katie said with a large smile, "Don't drink my coffee Kelly."

Katie turned to go back to the changing room but stopped and turned back when they all heard the bell above the main door ring. Halli walked in laughing with a friend about something and Katie felt her heart plummet to her stomach. She didn't want to talk to Halli if she didn't have to. Walking quickly back to the changing room, Katie stripped out of the dress.

The laughter of Halli and her friend got louder as the women came back to the dressing room.

"So is Casey joining us at Bella's tonight Halli?" the one woman asked with a smile.

"He's got a date with his girlfriend," Halli said quietly.

"How much longer is he going to be seeing that slut for?"

"Mary!" Halli said quickly, "She not a slut."

"She's sleeping with your man. She's a slut," Mary laughed.

Katie clapped her hand over her mouth to stop herself from saying anything but Shay beat her to the punch.

"Hello Halli," Shay said in cold voice. The woman named Mary stopped laughing abruptly.

"Hello Shay," Halli said, "How have you been?"

"Oh you know…hanging out with sluts," Shay said with a shrug before she knocked Katie's door, "You doing alright in their Katie? Kelly wants to know if you still want your coffee."

"Yes, I do Shay," Katie managed to choke out, "I'm almost done changing. I'll be out in a minute."

"I'll be waiting outside with Kelly," Shay replied, "Have a nice day Halli. I'm sure Casey would be so proud to know that you hang around good, decent people."

Katie opened the door a crack and saw that Shay was standing there with her back to Halli and Mary.

"I like it," Shay smiled, "You have to show Kelly."

Without any warning, Shay grabbed Katie wrist and dragged her out to the three-way mirror and the couch were Kelly was seated.

Shoved in front of the mirror, Katie took a deep breath trying to steady herself.

"I like it," Kelly said with a grin, "You look beautiful in this one. It's much better than the blue one."

Katie nodded and looked at herself in the light pink color with black trim, "I'll get it."

She didn't waste another moment in front of the mirror and quickly retreated. Shopping was officially over for the day in her book.

* * *

Katie's day hadn't improved. When she'd gotten a text from Casey that they'd be meeting at Bella's where he had reservations, Katie had nearly burst into tears. Bella's had been the same restaurant that Halli was meeting her friends at. The whole afternoon she'd gone over the memory of Kelly walking her back to her car the night she'd found Casey and Halli having dinner together. He'd told her over and over again that she didn't have to this. She didn't have to put herself in the way of heartbreak. He'd take her back to Casey's house, they could pack her things and she'd never have to see him again if she didn't want to.

But even after all of Kelly's offers, Katie turned him down. Casey was like a flame and she was the moth. There was something about him that made her keep coming back even though every time she touched, the flame it burned her a little bit more. Katie had taken care in getting dressed earlier. She wanted to be the beautiful woman who stole his attention but inside she knew that she could never truly beat Halli. Casey had given away his heart a long time ago and it wasn't in her possession.

For most of dinner, Casey had been staring at Halli over her shoulder. Katie wasn't oblivious to what he was doing. She'd seen Halli the mirrored wall behind Casey wearing the same dress that she'd been bought at the mall. Even if she hadn't seen Halli, Casey wasn't bothering to hide that his attention was focused on something else other than her. He'd barely kept up with conversation as it was and Katie had begun to feel like a parrot as she repeated herself over and over again so Casey knew what she was saying. Eventually, Katie had given up all together on trying to have a conversation. Casey hadn't even complimented her on how she looked or even asked her about her day with Shay even though she'd complimented his own suit and asked about his day.

A bitter, lonely feeling was settling in her stomach and Kelly's voice was inside her head saying she deserved better. She deserved someone who would all focus on her like she focused on him. She deserved a man who wouldn't make her compete for his attention with another woman. The more Katie thought about it, the more she realized that Casey wanted to be over there with Halli, not sitting at the table with her. She knew he'd never be rude on purpose like he was being but it made her wonder if he'd already made his decision between her and Halli unconsciously. Why else would he pick the same restaurant that Halli was eating at with her friends and their dates?

Putting her cloth napkin on the table Katie gave him a smile, "I'll be back."

Casey nodded and broke his gaze away from Halli, "Food good?"

"Yeah," she nodded, "I've just got to go to the ladies room for a minute."

Slipping out of their booth, Katie fought back the tears that threatened to fall down her cheeks. She was going to let anyone see her cry. Her black heels clicked across the elegant tile floor of the hallway that led to the bathroom. Pushing the door open, Katie looked at the soft pink, almost peach colored dress. The black band around the middle showed off her small waist. The daisy and pearl necklace she wore looked beautiful against her skin and the soft pink lips stick she wore with simple mascara only made her blue eyes look bluer. The Chanel No. 5 perfume she wore was faint against the insides of her wrist and her neck.

Everyone had told her she looked beautiful but the one man she wanted to hear it most from was to absorbed in watching another and it hurt. Casey rejection stung and no matter how many times Kelly told her that Casey wasn't worth being upset over or Shay told her she was stunning, the sting wouldn't go away. Katie leaned on the sink and knew deep down that there was only one person who could take the sting away and it was Matt.

Taking her cell phone out of the pocket in her dress, Katie moved to the large handicap stall. With a shaky hand, she dialed Kelly's number and waited. He picked up on the second ring and at the sound of his voice Katie nearly broke down in tears.

"What's going on Kit-Kat?" he asked.

"I'm at dinner and…Kelly I know this sounds so…I don't know…Halli is here with her friends and he's been staring at her over my shoulder," Katie said trying not cry, "I told you the reason I'm calling is stupid."

"Katie it's not stupid. You have to talk to him," Kelly urged, "I know you're scared and hurting but you have to. If you want the pain to stop, talk to him."

The door to the bathroom opened and women's voice floated through.

"I have to go," Katie said quietly as she ended the call not bothering to listen to Kelly's voice.

She slipped out the stall and avoided Halli's gaze in the mirror as she washed her hands for show. Leaving the bathroom as quickly as she could, Katie knew that she couldn't do this anymore. She'd loved Matt but she wasn't willing to compete for his attention with another woman. Maybe that made her weak or her love worthless, Katie didn't care but she knew that she wasn't going to put herself through another version of the Greg Colton affair.

Slipping back down into her seat, Katie gave Casey a fake half smile, "Did you get dessert?"

"No," Casey said as he opened his wallet, "Did you want any?"

"No, I'm ready to go," Katie smiled knowing exactly what she wanted.

* * *

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**Knock, Knock (on the glass) is anyone there? Thanks to everyone who left a review! This chapter is a long one so I broke it into two parts! **

**What do you think Katie is after? Leave a review and let me know what you think so far! Will Matt go be to Halli?  
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	12. Twelve: Love The Way You Lie (Part Two)

**Author's Note: **

**I know it's short! I'm sorry!**

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve: Love the Way You Lie (Part Two) **

"…_On the first page of our story  
The future seemed so bright  
Then the saint turned out so evil  
I don't know why I'm still surprised  
Even angels have their wicked schemes  
And you take that to new extremes  
But you'll always be my hero  
Even though you've lost your mind_

_Just gonna stand there and watch me burn_  
_Well that's alright because I like the way it hurts_  
_Just gonna stand there and hear me cry_  
_Well that's alright because I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie_

_Now there's gravel in our voices_  
_Glasses shattered from the fight_  
_In this tug of war you always win_  
_Even when I'm right_  
_Cause you feed me fables from your head_  
_With violent words and empty threats_  
_And it's sick that all these battles are what keeps me satisfied_

_Just gonna stand there and watch me burn_  
_Well that's alright because I like the way it hurts_  
_Just gonna stand there and hear me cry_  
_Well that's alright because I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie_  
_I love the way you lie…"_

~ "Love The Way You Lie (Part Two) " – Skylar Grey

They'd barely made in it into the house Katie reflected wearily as she laid on the floor next to the dining room table. They'd made an earnest attempt to make it to the bedroom but everything had happened so quickly. Matt had gotten as far as the table and then passion had just taken over. Before Katie even knew what had happened she was laying on the cold wood floors of Casey's dining room half on and half off the rug. Somehow clothing had quickly removed and tossed aside with her lips never leaving his.

In the end, loving him on the dining room floor was an experience Katie was sure she'd never tell a soul about and take with her silently to the grave. She'd loved him with all the passion she could collection in her heart, body and soul. She'd given him every part of her she could and in the end, she'd done everything possible to not cry when Casey had called out Halli's name, not hers when he climaxed. It was bitter sweet know that her last time being with him would be the closest she ever felt to another human being and he hadn't been even thinking of her. In some ways, it was the best parting gift Matthew could ever give her even if it was bound to feel like horrible burn in the morning.

Lying on the floor as the afterglow wore off, Katie felt that sadness that had disappeared creeping back in. She knew what she had to do but she didn't want to do it. Leaving Matt was the best solution for everyone involved. It was clear that he was still in love with Halli and Katie refused to play second fiddle again. She'd done that with Greg Colton once and she didn't want to do it again. The cream colored table cloth that had been on the table earlier covered them like a sheet. Matthew's arm was beneath her neck and clutching the table cloth to her chest, Katie sat up knowing what she had to do. Searching for her underwear and bra, Katie could feel Matt's finger tips running softly over her skin. She ignored the feeling of them as she found her bra a quickly put it on.

"Are you alright?" Matt asked sounding confused as he watched her look for her underwear in the heap of clothing by their feet. Katie didn't reply because she didn't know what to say. It was all she could do not to break down crying as she location and lacy white briefs. She must have made some kind of sobbing noise because Matt's arms came around her and he kissed the top of her head.

"Hey, talk to me," he whispered, "What's wrong?"

Katie quickly broke the embrace and stood up. Slipping her underwear on and grabbing her dress, she kept her back to him the entire time. Turning to look at him once she was completely dressed, Katie sighed knowing that what she was about to do was going to hurt her far more than it would ever hurt him.

"I have to go Matt…I can't do this anymore," she told him quietly, "I can't…listen to lie to me about who you're having dinner with or sit a dinner the whole time knowing that you want to over with…with Halli. Not sitting with me and having a nice conversation. I know all about your dinners with her and don't even try to deny it. I can't do this."

"I'm not going to," Matt said as he grabbed his dress pants and stood up, "But Katie-"

"You're not over her," Katie interrupted, "I know that and you know that. You still love her. For God's sake you called out her name when we were having sex!"

Casey didn't say anything and so Katie continued, "I saw you at the diner in the window…the way you looked at her… it's obvious you love her. I can't make you as happy as you make me and that's the bottom line. Do you want to be with me or her? Do love me at all Matthew at we could get past her?"

Casey was silent again and a tear trickled down Katie's cheek as she gave him a half smile, "Do you even love me? Does any little piece of you love me like I love you? Or has this whole thing been a delusion of a desperate woman who just wants to be loved? Please tell me."

Casey was still quiet even though she'd just admitted she loved him. Wiping a second tear away, Katie grabbed her black dress coat and slipped it on.

"I can't turn off how I feel for Halli," Casey finally said as she tied the belt of the coat around her waist, "I can't do what you're asking me to do. I love her and yes, I do want to be with her…but I want to be with you too Katie. I never meant to hurt you, please...understand that I've known Halli for nearly ten years. I can't shut her out. She's a fundamental part of me. I don't want to hurt her and you. It's the last thing I want."

"Don't lie to me. All you've done is hurt me," she said quietly, "You've led me on for months and months about your feelings for me and you lied about being over Halli. You don't love me Matthew Casey. If you loved me like you claim you wouldn't have hurt me this badly. You would have done everything in your power to minimize the hurt like I would do for you. You wouldn't have gone sneaking around with Halli and lying about who you're seeing. It's humiliating to have my brother and Hugh Chandler that you're lying to me."

"I haven't lied about anything I feel for you," Casey replied quickly.

"I've just been temporary crutch until you got back with her! God! You're no better Colton! You can tell me you love me all you want to Matthew but I don't believe you for a moment. You've lied enough to me. Don't keep on lying."

"Don't compare me and Colton. I've never abused you!"

"No? You've only used me and now when all this is over you're going to go run back to Halli and play house! You're going ignore everything that has happened between us because you love her and at the end of the day, I get to repeat another horrible lesson in learning that the guy I think I may want to spend the rest of my life with is in love with another woman," Katie said and didn't bother to fight back tears as they spill down her face slowly, "I truly hope everything works out between Halli. Everyone deserves to be happy. I hope you're happy with her. God…I never want to see you again because I can't believe that despite everything that has happened I still love you. I disgust myself just admitting that!"

Without another word, Katie walked to the front door and opened it. The chilly night air hit her and she could feel her tears freezing against her skin. She quickly walked to her and opened the door. Slipping inside, she quickly turned on the car and the head lights. Casey was standing in nothing but his dress pants and half buttoned dress shirt. He was standing in the window watching her and she fought back even more tears when he turned away. The curtain fell covering the window again from the living room from outside view and Katie could help but feel the irony of it. Their relationships curtain had fallen everything was over.

Backing out of Casey's driveway, Katie drove blindly. It seemed her body had a mind of its own as it drove the familiar path to Kelly's apartment. Parking the car on the street, she walked quickly across the street as snowflakes began to fall. It took all her effort to not cry as she opened the door to Kelly's apartment building. Taking the stairs, Katie kicked off her heels and ran up the flights of stairs to the fifteenth story. The burning in her lungs felt good and the aching in her legs distracted her from the aching in her heart.

Opening the door and quickly walking to the loft that Shay and Kelly shared, Katie knocked as loudly as she could knowing that it was late and they were probably asleep. A tired looking Kelly opened the door.

"Katie?"

The flood gates opened like a dam breaking and Katie flung herself into his arms as she sobbed.

"It's over," she cried, "I broke up with him."

Kelly wrapped his arms tightly around her and guided her into the apartment. Shay was instantly in the room and helped Kelly get Katie to sit down on the couch.

"It's gonna be okay," Kelly told Katie softly as he rubbed her back praying he was right.

* * *

Casey stared at the ceiling of his bedroom trying to push away the guilt he felt. Everything stung as his mind played the scene of Katie leaving over and over again in his mind. Something had been different about her kisses earlier in the evening and now Casey knew.

She'd been desperate, so desperate for one last assurance that he loved her even if it was only physical. Katie had nearly poured her heart out in loving him and when he could reciprocate the feelings she had for him, it had burned her when he called out Halli's name when he climaxed. He couldn't love her the way she loved him because of the love he had for Halli. That was the only thing stopping him from throwing caution to the wind and falling hard for her. It had hurt to see her tears and listen to her nearly beg him to tell her that he loved her. Casey wouldn't deny that he loved her. It had slowly crept up on him but he did love her in some way, it just in the way that he loved Halli.

Casey couldn't also deny that he'd used her. She'd been a bandage for the pain and he hadn't been thinking like she had. Katie saying that she'd thought about spending her lifetime with him had forced him to acknowledge that he hadn't been thinking like that at all. He'd seen her as a simple girlfriend who he enjoyed talking with and having sex with. It hadn't been his intent to use her like he did but none the less he'd used her in many ways like Greg Colton had.

Confusion swarmed his mind as her words pounded over and over in his brain. He wanted to be with Halli and in order to do that he had to let Katie go. Casey knew it would hurt but he'd never thought that it would hurt as badly as it was. He could still feel her body against him if he closed his eyes…her warm, soft curves against him, her breath on his neck giving him goose bumps as he touched her body trying to give her as much pleasure as he could while he tried to stop his own pleasure from ending too soon. Opening his eyes, Casey knew that break up hurt but he'd never meant to hurt Katie as badly as he suspected he had. Rolling over onto his side, Casey closed his eyes again and tried to push away any thoughts of Katie. The only problem was that if he was truly honest with himself, he hurt too from letting her walk out the door.

* * *

Kelly stared at the closed door to Shay's bathroom. Katie had become more and more hysterical as he and Shay had begun to ask questions about what had happened between her and Casey. Never had he seen Katie so upset in his life and it scared him. It had been so clear to him that Casey and Katie were perfect for each other but everything fell apart so quickly.

He'd gotten a few details from earlier in the day at the shop near the mall and Katie's call from dinner but he had a general idea of what had happened between his sister and Casey. Casey had stared at Halli all through dinner and when Katie had talked to him about it afterwards, Casey hadn't denied anything and had admitted her wanted to be with Halli.

Hearing the bath water shut off, Kelly could hear Shay's voice as she spoke to Katie whose cries could be heard through the door. He knew that they were talking and that Shay would tell him later what happened. Sitting down on Shay's bed, Kelly resisted the urge to get in his car and pay Matthew Casey a visit. If he'd known earlier that this would happen, Kelly would have done everything in his power to make sure that Katie had never met Casey.

After nearly twenty minutes of hearing Katie sobbing and Shay's soft voice, Leslie emerged from the bathroom with a sad look on her face.

"She's heartbroken Kelly," Shay said quietly, "Absolutely heartbroken."

"If I've learned anything about my sister in all the years I've known her it's that when she loves she gives everything she has into that love and I've never seen her love someone like she's loved Casey. I thought Greg Colton's betrayal was horrific for her but this…Shay I've never seen her upset like this before."

"She managed to calm down a little," Shay said as she rested a hand on Kelly's back, "She's taking a bath and hopefully that will help her, a little. I left the door unlocked in case-"

"My sister wouldn't do that," Kelly snapped upset that Shay was implying that Katie would hurt herself.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean that she would hurt herself. I only meant I left it unlocked in case she needed something."

Kelly nodded tiredly, "I'm gonna go make up the spare bedroom. Don't think for a second I'm sending her home like this."

"I wasn't dreaming of it," Shay said quietly, "I'll find something for Katie to wear."

Kelly nodded again and stood up. Leaving Shay's room, Kelly knew that come Monday morning, Matthew Casey would have a fist in his face a hopefully a few broken bones.

* * *

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**I'm not really satisfied with this chapter but thanks to everyone who does review! Sorry about this being a day late! What do you think?**


	13. Thirteen: Someone Like You

**Author's Note: **

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

**Thanks to everyone who left a review!**

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen: Someone like You**

_"…I heard that your dreams came true_  
_Guess she gave you things_  
_I didn't give to you_  
_Old friend why are you so shy_  
_Ain't like you to hold back_  
_Or hide from the light_

_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but_  
_I couldn't stay away I couldn't fight it_  
_I had hoped you'd see my face_  
_And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over_

_Never mind I'll find someone like you_  
_I wish nothing but the best for you two_  
_Don't forget me I beg I'll remember you said_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead, yeah_

_You know how the time flies_  
_Only yesterday was the time of our lives_  
_We were born and raised_  
_In a summer haze_  
_Bound by the surprise of our glory days_

_I hate to turn up out of the blue uninvited but_  
_I couldn't stay away I couldn't fight it_  
_I had hoped you'd see my face_  
_And that you'd be reminded that for me it isn't over_

_Never mind I find someone like you_  
_I wish nothing but the best for you two_  
_Don't forget me I beg I'll remember you said_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead_

_Nothing compares_  
_No worries or cares_  
_Regrets and mistakes they're memories made_  
_Who would have known how bitter-sweet this would taste_

_Never mind I'll find someone like you_  
_I wish nothing but the best for you_  
_Don't forget me I beg I'll remember you said_  
_Sometimes it lasts in love but sometimes it hurts instead…"_

~ "Someone Like You" - Adele

**Monday…November 28…**

Katie dropped her bag down on the kitchen island of Kelly's and Shay's kitchen with a sigh.

"Why are you making pancakes?" she asked tiredly, "You hate them."

Kelly looked over his shoulder at her with a smile, "You love them though."

"I'm not hungry Kelly."

"You didn't eat yesterday. I get that you're upset over Casey but I'm not letting you cope with this breakup the way you coped with the Greg Colton fiasco," he said flipping the pancake from the pan to a plate, "You're not dropping weight on my watch because mom would kill me."

"So I should eat myself into a heart attack?" Katie scoffed.

"Ten extra pounds would look good on you," Kelly reasoned as he lathered up the pancakes with a large amount of butter and syrup. He set the plate down in front of her and looked at her with concern. Even though she'd put make up on, Kelly could tell she'd been crying recently. No amount of concealer would hide the redness around her eyes and the tear streaks down her cheeks.

Kelly opened a drawer, took out a fork and pushed it at her, "Eat up."

Katie took the fork and looked at Kelly for a moment.

"Can I ask you a question?"

"Go for it," Kelly replied as he sat down next to her with a bowl of cereal.

"I was thinking about every failed relationship I was in last night and I've realized something Kelly," Katie said as her voice broke a little, "I've always been broken up with. The guy never wants to be with me. Am I defective somehow Kelly? Am I screwed up or is there something wrong with me?"

Kelly reached for a napkin and dabbed her eyes from the tears that were threatening to smear her eye makeup.

"Nothing is wrong with you Kit-Kat," he said softly angry to hear that she thought something was wrong with her, "All those guys, they don't see the treasure that the rest of us see. Katie, you're going to meet some guy and he's going to make you so happy. He's going to the one for you. I'm sorry you have to go through so much pain but don't for one minute think that something is wrong with you. You're perfect just the way you are and don't change yourself for anyone or anything. Casey isn't worth any of the tears you've cried over him. I know Katie that the right guy won't make you cry."

Katie reached out and hugged him tightly, "I love you Kelly. You're my favorite brother."

Kelly chuckled and hugged Katie back tightly, "I love you Katie. I'm your only brother by the way."

"Exactly," she smiled as she pulled away, "I've got to go or I'll be late for work. Have a safe shift Kelly."

"You get your shoes and bag," Kelly replied with a brighter smile, "I'll put your pancakes in a to-go container."

* * *

It was barely ten in the morning and Katie felt exhausted as she sat in her office. Her head hurt from all the crying she'd done and sleep deprivation was beginning to take a hold of her. Blinking her eyes rapidly to stop herself from falling asleep, Katie brought her hand to her mouth to cover a yawn. A knock sounded and Gracie Harper's smiling face appeared in the doorway.

"Happy Monday," she said cheerfully but stopped seeing how tired Katie looked, "You and lover boy go at it?"

Katie shook her head, "Lover boy and I broke up."

Gracie's smile instantly left her face, "I'm so sorry Katie."

"I'm fine," she said choking back tears and hoping that she could hold it together, "It just wasn't meant to be."

Gracie shook her head and hugged Katie tightly, "I know how much you loved him. He's not worth your tears though."

"I keep telling myself that but," Katie said shaking her head, "I don't know Gracie. I really thought that this time everything would work out. It would be like a fairy tale. A perfect fairy tale that ended up being just another disaster that has gone up in smoke and flames."

"You're going to find the right guy," Gracie smiled, "I know you will."

Katie laughed a little, "Kelly said the same thing this morning. Are you and him teaming up on me?"

At the mention of Kelly Severide's name, Gracie pressed her lips together and shifted a little.

"What?" Katie said picking up on something in Gracie's body language.

"Nothing," Gracie blushed, "I just haven't seen your brother since I told him I was a lesbian."

Katie giggled, "Oh my God! I forgot all about that."

"I haven't," Gracie groaned, "It's embarrassing. I can't believe I said that to your brother."

"My brother needs to learn that every woman is not going simply trip over her feet for him. He can't seduce every woman."

Gracie smiled, "Thanks but that doesn't really make me feel better though. Moving on though, did you wanna come over this Saturday? We can get really drunk and watch some sappy romance like Titanic."

"Sure," Katie smiled, "That sounds good. I could really use a girl night. I want to feel happy again Gracie."

* * *

Kelly stalked into work angry. Katie's words about being broke or defective ran over and over again in his head. He blamed Casey for everything. Relationships weren't perfect but listening to his sister cry all of Sunday made Kelly furious. There wasn't much anyone could do for Katie but help her get through the heart break. Every time Kelly had heard her cry it reminded him of last year and the whole Greg Colton accident. It also reminded him that Casey had help put Katie back together only to smash her into a million pieces again in the matter of a few hours.

Kelly saw Casey standing in the kitchen pouring himself a cup of coffee. The son of a bitch was laughing with Peter Mills and Hermann about something and anger flared inside of Kelly. Without even thinking about it, Kelly dropped his bag and stalked towards the kitchen with his fists clenched. Marching through the kitchen, no one saw Kelly approaching until it was too late and Severide had punch Casey square in the jaw.

"You son of a bitch!" Severide roared, "She loved you! She loved you and you know what she asked me this morning? She asked me if she was broke or if she was defective somehow!"

Hermann was instantly pushing Severide back telling him to calm down as Mills helped Casey to stand.

"You don't deserve her and never will! When you're done playing house with that manipulating bitch stay the hell away from my sister Casey! Do you hear me!?"

Mills held Casey back from attacking Severide for call Halli a bitch as the chief walked in.

"What's going on in here?"

"Nothing," Severide grunted as he walked away, "Casey got what he deserved and I said what I needed to Chief. We're done."

Severide walked away with Shay following him quickly as Chief Boden looked skeptically at Casey.

"Have Dawson help clean you up. You and Severide stay away from one another."

"Absolutely," Casey grunted as Dawson came over to help.

* * *

"So Kelly punched you?"

"I deserved it," Casey said as he sat in the locker room while Dawson applied butterfly bandages to his jaw.

"Why?" she asked confused but quickly her face changed to one of understanding, "You didn't."

"Katie and I broke up Saturday night."

"You're going back to Halli," Dawson stated with a shake of her head, "You're right. You do deserve this."

"I can't help that I love Halli and want to be with her," Casey snapped.

"No you're being an idiot Casey," Dawson snapped back in disgust, "Do you really think that you and Halli can fix things? Jesus, Severide is right. You don't deserve Katie. She's the best thing that's ever happened to you and your letting her walk right back out the door."

"I don't care. It's my life Dawson and I want to live it with Halli. I'm sorry you don't agree with me but Halli makes me happy."

"I give it six months," Gabby scoffed as she grabbed her first aid bag and tossed it over her shoulder, "Good luck with everything."

Dawson walked away and Casey stood up trying to hold in the anger he felt at everyone who was judging him because he chose Halli over Katie. It wasn't he'd set out to hurt Katie or anything. Everything had simply happened and he was sorry she got hurt but he wanted to be happy. He loved Halli and he was angry that people couldn't understand that. Clenching his fist, Casey swore as he punched the metal locker. Holding his hand to his chest, Casey closed his eyes letting the physical pain supersede the emotion turmoil in his body.

They were all wrong. He and Halli planned on making it work this time. He wasn't going to let her be the one that got away.

* * *

**Friday…December 1…**

Casey raised his knuckles and knocked gently against the door. He'd gotten Halli's address from a friend and hoped she was home. He knew that she was busy working at the hospital but he had to see her. He had to talk to her and for some reason he felt desperate to see her. Maybe if he saw her that sinking feeling in his chest would ease. Ever since Katie had walked out of his front door, the dull pain in his chest hadn't eased. He'd found some of her clothing in his drawers and Casey had quickly stuffed them away in a brown box that had been put in the back of his truck to give to Kelly Severide later.

He didn't want to see Katie again. The way they'd parted had made him feel horrible and even if it did make him a coward, Casey wasn't sure he'd ever be able to face Katie again. Kelly had been right that she deserved better but in the end, everyone deserved to be happy. Halli made him happy and he wanted to be happy.

Hearing the lock disengage, Casey watched the door open and saw Halli's look of surprise.

"Matt," she said quickly covering her look of surprise, "What are you doing here?"

Casey didn't say anything but leaned down and kissed Halli on the lips. Her arms went around his neck and pulled him into the flat. Kicking the door closed behind them, Casey couldn't believe he'd forgotten how soft Halli's lips were. They were warm against his own and the more he kissed Halli, the more Casey felt like he was cheating.

The dull pain in his chest intensified and in his mind he could see Katie staring at him with a look of despair. Breaking the kiss, Casey rested his forehead on Halli's. With time, his mind would stop making him feel guilt where there shouldn't be any. Katie would fade in his mind to be just a distant memory.

"I want you," Casey mumbled, "I want you and no one else."

* * *

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**I'm so sorry it's short! Next chapters really bring on the drama and will be longer! Promise! Thanks to everyone who left a review! I'm sorry I updated late this time but I'll see you next Tuesday!**


	14. Fourteen: She Will Be Loved

**Author's Note: **

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen: She Will Be Loved**

"…_I drove for miles and miles  
And wound up at your door  
I've had you so many times  
But somehow I want more_

_I don't mind spending every day_  
_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_  
_Look for the girl with the broken smile_  
_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_  
_And she will be loved_

_Tap on my window knock on my door_  
_I want to make you feel beautiful_  
_I know I tend to get so insecure_  
_It doesn't matter anymore_

_It's not always rainbows and butterflies_  
_It's compromise that moves us along, yeah_  
_My heart is full and my door's always open_  
_You come anytime you want_

_I don't mind spending every day_  
_Out on your corner in the pouring rain_  
_Look for the girl with the broken smile_  
_Ask her if she wants to stay awhile_

_And she will be loved_  
_And she will be loved_  
_And she will be loved_  
_And she will be loved…"_

~ "She Will Be Loved" – Maroon 5

**Sunday…December 22…**

"Did we get the desserts?" Kelly asked as he pushed the cart next to Katie as they walked down the aisles of the grocery store. Their mother had called them and asked them to pick up a few things for Christmas dinner and together they'd agreed to go. They'd also needed to pick up a few things for Shay back at the loft so she'd have something to eat while they were out of town.

At the beginning of December, Katie's lease had ended and Kelly had insisted that she move in with him and Shay. At first, Katie had protested but Shay quickly convinced her it was fine. The loft had three bedrooms and two and a half baths. Kelly had the down stairs bathroom and bedroom while Katie and Shay had the upstairs bedrooms and bathroom. Between the three of them rent was cheap too which pleased Katie to no end.

"What do you want?" Katie asked as they came to stop in front of the bakery section of the grocery store. A memory of meeting Matt blipped through her head and Katie desperately tried to push away the thought of him. It seemed that he popped up everywhere in her heart. Every little thing she did reminded her of him in some way and she wondered often what he'd say or do. She'd been trying to force herself to stop doing it but it hadn't been very successful.

"Just get the chocolate cupcakes," Kelly said with a shrug, "I'm not picky."

"Is Kay gonna eat it?"

"Kay loves chocolate. I don't know why she wouldn't eat it."

Katie nodded and turned to look back at the chocolate cupcakes in the glass case. She wasn't in the mood to eat. Just looking at the chocolate cupcakes made her stomach churn in an unpleasant way and she knew that Kelly would be angry at her if she didn't try to eat something. He'd been on her case about it ever since she'd broken up with Matt. Kelly always made sure she had a healthy lunch for work and between him, Shay and Gracie she had an active social life. The three of them were always taking her places on the weekends and Gracie always made sure they got drinks after work on Friday.

"I'll wait for the cupcakes if you wanna go get the milk," Katie told Kelly as she looked over her shoulder after seeing how busy the people in the bakery were. Kelly nodded and pulled the cart away. He walked away and Katie watched with relief that she could have a few minutes with him not hovering over her.

"Hello dear," Marianne said with a smile, "How are you?"

Katie smiled back brightly at the older woman. Marianne was always her go to woman for pastries and baked goods.

"I'm good. You?"

"Just perfect. Is that young man of yours with you today? I tell all my girlfriends about how you met him in the bakery. They think it's so romantic."

The smile left Katie's face a little, "We broke up during Thanksgiving. He…he wanted to see other people."

Marianne's smile fell also, "I'm so sorry. He really looked like a keeper. What can I help you with dear?"

"A dozen chocolate cupcakes," Katie said trying not to shred the paper list in her hands.

"White cake and chocolate frosting like always?" Marianne asked.

"Yes, please."

Marianne turned back away to get the order. Katie looked in the glass nervously and couldn't shake the feeling like she was being watched. She hadn't felt the kind of fear she was feeling in a long time. All she wanted was to get the cupcakes and find Kelly. With Kelly she always felt safe. There was nothing he wouldn't do for her and there wasn't a thing she wouldn't do for him. Just as she was about to abandon getting cupcakes, a face appeared in the reflection of the glass and it was the last face she wanted to see.

Turning, Katie came face to face with Casey and from the corner of her eye she could have sworn she saw Greg.

She must have looked upset because a look of concern crossed Casey's face.

"Are you alright?" he asked her looking over his shoulder to look at the area she'd been staring at.

"Yeah," Katie mumbled as she tore her eyes away from the place she thought Greg had been standing, "What are you doing here?"

"Halli and I were picking up treats for my niece," he said quietly.

At the mention of Halli's name, Katie's spine stiffened and she turned back to the counter to see Marianne coming back to the counter with a frown on her face.

"How much do I owe you?" Katie asked as she fumbled with her bag on her shoulder trying to find her wallet with shaky hands.

"Don't worry about it doll," Marianne said with a wave of her hand, "This one is one the house. It's Christmas and our present to you."

"Thank you Marianne."

Relief rushed through Katie as she took the small box of cupcakes with a halfhearted smile.

"Have a good Christmas," Marianne said as Katie turned back around and nearly ran into Casey.

He caught her by her elbows and searing heat traveled up Katie's arms. His touch was all she'd wanted for the past month and now that he was touching her, Katie wanted Casey to leave her alone. Seeing him was bring up emotions inside of her that she wasn't ready to deal with. Yanking her arms away from him, Katie managed to compose herself enough that she didn't trip over her heels or anything.

"Have a Happy Christmas Matt," she murmured before walking away.

Holding her head high and keeping her back straight, Katie kept walking past Halli who was pushing a cart towards the bakery. It was only after she passed Halli that Katie let a tear trickle down her cheek. She'd refuse to cry in front of either of them and when she finally found Kelly, Katie barely had it together. It was taking all her self-control not to break down into a sobbing mess in the middle of the dairy section of the store.

"What is it?" Kelly asked seeing how upset she was, "What's the matter?"

"Nothing," Katie sniffled as she put the cupcakes in the cart, "I ran into…into…Matt. That's all. Can we go and just stop to get whatever else we need on the way to Mom's? Please?"

Kelly gave in easily and together they left the grocery store quickly as they could. Shay had told Katie about Kelly punching Casey in the face and even though Katie had yelled at him about how violence wasn't the answer and that hitting Casey had solved nothing, for the first time Katie was secretly pleased Kelly had punched him. It made her feel better that Casey and Kelly were avoiding each other just as much as Katie wanted to avoid Matt. She didn't feel so bad for wanting to leave knowing that Kelly wanted to spend about as much time with Casey as she did.

* * *

**Tuesday…December 31…**

Casey stood at the dresser digging around the drawer for a pair of black socks. Halli's parents had invited them to New Year's dinner and they'd decided to go. They didn't have to leave for another twenty minutes but Casey still wanted to be ready early. Seeing something black in his drawer, Casey grabbed the socks but stopped. Something square and hard was inside it and he felt his heart drop down into his stomach.

Sitting on the edge of the bed, Casey took out the small black jewelry box from in between the socks. Popping open the top, Casey stared down at the solitaire pearl necklace in the black box. Katie always wore pearl earrings and he'd wanted to get her a necklace that matched close. He'd stolen one of her earrings one morning and had gone to a local jewelry store with it. Along with the jeweler, they'd found a perfect necklace. A simple pearl pendent surrounded by small sapphire, diamonds and other pearls to bring out the blue in her eyes. The pendent was on a silver chain that screwed together to stop the likely hood of the necklace falling off or being stolen.

Staring at the necklace, Casey knew it would have looked beautiful around her slender neck. His mind instantly jumped to seeing her before Christmas. She'd looked exhausted and thinner than he'd ever seen her. He'd blurted out asking if she was okay because he was shocked at her appearance. He knew she hadn't been taking their spilt well from what he'd overheard between Shay and Dawson but he didn't think she'd look that tired. He wasn't sure what she'd seen from the corner of her eye that day but whatever he'd seen a look of fear cross her face faster than she'd been able to hide it. He'd desperately wanted to ask but she'd already turned away.

When she'd turned back and walked into him, Casey couldn't help but feel the warmth spread over his body like it had done that very day he'd touched. It was like his body had forgotten the effect Katie had on it. It had taken days to get the feeling out of his system and he was sure now that he was sitting on his bed reliving the moment that it would take even longer to get it back out of his system again. If Casey were completely honest with himself, in the past month Katie had haunted him in ways he didn't think possible. She haunted his steps and especially his dreams. He could forget about her during the day and he certainly had been working hard enough lately that it was easy but come nightfall when he went to sleep, Katie was always there in his dreams. One dream in particular would go away though and seeing her again made him see it all over in his mind.

It always started that they were standing in a street at night facing each other. She was crying and yelling at him but nothing he could hear came to her lips. Suddenly bright lights came racing towards her and the truck always hit Katie no matter what he did in the dream. Her body would be flung over the truck and fall back down on the cement where she'd stood moment before but it was always her dead, lifeless eyes that would be looking at him as a tear rolled down her cheek. It would end and he'd sit up straight in bed always sweating and panting. His own tears would be fresh on his cheeks and it would leave him with a sleepless night often lying in bed for hours wondering about Katie and what she was doing at that moment.

For the first time in his life, Casey was truly confused. He'd been telling himself for so long he wanted to be with Halli but now that he was with Halli, his head and heart were pulling him in a different direction back towards Katie. He wasn't sure what to do and didn't know what he wanted anymore. After being with Katie, being back with Halli felt odd. It was like some dynamic had changed between them and he couldn't figure out how to stop what was happening.

"Ready?"

Casey quickly stood up and closed the jewelry case. Halli stood in the doorway looking at him with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah," he told her with a smile as he stuffed the jewelry box in his pocket, "Are you ready?"

Halli nodded and turned away. Sticking the necklace back in the drawer, Casey promised himself that he'd figure out what to do with the necklace as soon as he was able. He didn't want it burning a hole between him and Halli and he didn't want it to sit the drawer as a reminder of Katie.

* * *

Katie sat hunched over the toilet bowl at her parent's house. Kay had gone out with friends and Katie had decided to spend the evening with Kelly and their parents. Kelsey had already left Chicago to go home with her husband and Katie had decided that she'd rather spend her New Year's with her parents instead of partying all night long. She didn't think she'd had the energy to do it. Ever since Christmas Day she'd been nauseous and throwing up on a regular basis. Eating meal was hard and Kelly suspected she must have picked up some kind of bug from the kids at her school.

Standing up on shaky legs and flushing the toilet, Katie ran the water and splashed some on her face. The feeling was receding but she knew it would be back with a vengeance soon. Grabbing a washcloth, Katie patted her face dry and looked under the sink for the mouth wash she knew her mother kept under every sink in the house. Finding some and washing her mouth out was a bad idea. The mouth wash only made her feel more sick.

'Sweetheart? Are you alright? You've been in their for a long time," Roxanne said as her heavy New Jersey accent drifted through the door, "I'm worried about you."

"I'm fine Mom," Katie croaked, "I'll be out in a minute."

"She says she's fine," Roxanne yelled loudly.

Katie groaned and opened to door, "Mom, please. Don't yell."

"I have a theory about why you're sick."

Katie walked down the steps to the living room and walked towards the large kitchen where Bartly and Kelly sat in the small nook eating food and drinking beer as they watched some New Year's Eve special on TV.

"Feeling better Katie-lamb?" Bartly asked with a smile.

The smell of the food hit Katie all at once and sent her racing to the small bathroom off the kitchen. She slammed the shut behind her but that didn't stop Roxanne Severide from opening the door and following Katie inside.

"What is it with you kids getting sick these days?" she said as she held Katie's hair back, "Are you willing to hear my theory now?"

Bartly and Kelly showed up in the doorway with concerned faces.

"This has gone on for a week," Kelly said with a frown, "Are you sure you're okay?"

"Does anyone wanna hear my theory?" Roxanne asked again.

"Why are you all standing here watching me throw up?" Katie groaned as she rested her forehead on the seat, "Go away."

Roxanne shooed both Kelly and Bartly away as Katie threw up again.

"I want to hear your theory doll," Bartly said with a smile as he winked at Kelly.

Roxanne moved out of the bathroom and stood in the doorway so that she could look at both Kelly and Bartly.

"This all has a very simple explanation. Men can be such sexual beings and dynamos that women crave their mate's sperm on such an unconscious but powerful level that they don't even know themselves how much they want sex until their bodies are no longer receiving the sperm they've grown to crave. It all has to deal with the hormones released in sex and such. Maybe you're so addicted to Matthew Casey's sperm that it's making you sick. It is possible! I had one woman come in one time-"

Kelly choked on his beer and spit it out. Bartly Severide burst out laughing and gave his son a whack on the back as Kelly tried to breath.

"Mom," Katie groaned from the bathroom as she covered her face, "Please. I'm not…no that's not what's wrong with me."

"What?" Roxanne said innocently as she looked between her children, "It's possible! You could just be craving sex with Casey and that's why you're sick. When your father used to go away on shift-"

"We don't want to know!" Kelly practically yelled across the kitchen as he coughed, "I don't need any more therapy Mom! It's expensive enough as it is."

"I was just gonna say your father nearly gave me carpal tunnel!"

Kelly pulled a face and shuttered as Bartly laughed harder, "Didn't need to know that. And you wanna know why I don't bring women home!"

"How the hell do you think you got here Kelly Dana? Your father and I had sex! It was great sex! You were conceived on your great-grandmother's blanket just before she died! I still get turned on just thinking about that time period! Your father and I were newly wedded rabbits practically! Your sister and Matthew had sex and I'm sure you do it with anything that has a pussy and two boobs," Roxanne shot back, "It's nothing to be ashamed of and don't you dare feel ashamed about talking about these things with your mother. I didn't raise you to be ashamed of your body, how it works or talking about the subject of sex! For God's sake Kelly! Grow up! You've been embarrassed about this topic ever since I caught Joanna Florence giving you head! It's nothing I haven't seen before! We're all mature adults that can have a conversation about this!"

Bartly tried to stifle a laugh seeing Kelly's red face, "She's right boy! You take after me. I'm well hung too."

Kelly turned redder as Bartly burst out laughing even harder than before. Katie managed to get up on her own and wash her mouth out.

"I'm going to go lay down," she announced as she slipped out of the bathroom, "See you guys next year."

"Call us on yourself phone if you need anything," Roxanne said as she grabbed the violent fuzzy pink phone in her office and brought the phone on the table. The cable cord between her office and the kitchen was stretched tight and Katie almost cracked a smile wondering how many times as a child she'd tripped over that cord. Kelly was always face planting in the floor because of it and from the look on his face, Katie knew he was thinking the same thing as her as he eyed the cord wearily.

Walking up stairs to her old bedroom, Katie shut the lights off as she walked down the hall. Closing her door behind her, she tugged off her jeans and left the oversized sweater she wore on. Flipping the light off on the nightstand, Katie grabbed her iphone and opened her phone screen to set the alarm. Accidently clicking on the calendar and opening it, Katie's breath stopped in her throat when she saw a blue dot in the middle of the month. Her heart almost stopped seeing that mark and knowing what it meant.

Her time of the month was due that day and it hadn't come at all in December.

* * *

**Thursday…January 3…**

Casey watched her smiled as she accepted the hot chocolate Kelly gave her. It was the annual ice sculpture festival in downtown Chicago and he'd agreed to go with Halli for the evening but his heart ached seeing her. Dressed in a light pink wool dress coat, Katie looked radiant. The ruffles on the front of the coat were mixed with a gray scarf and he knew he wasn't the only man in the crowd that appreciated how the coat showed off her hour glass figure. Dark jeans encased the legs that he'd had wrapped around his waist plenty of times and black boots covered her tiny feet.

Katie handled the hot chocolate with care and held it tightly in her gray gloved hands. She raised it up to her lips and he smiled seeing how the snowflakes had gotten caught in her dark curls. She smiled at something Shay said and her head tipped back in laughter. She truly was a sight to see and it made his heart ache. Every time he saw her his confusion became worse than before. Halli was being to notice him staring and Casey quickly averted his eyes.

He didn't want Halli to see him staring at Katie. Things had changed between them so much that Casey knew their relationship was hanging by a thread at the moment. Despite all their words of love, the same core problems that separated them were still there. Halli still wanted her career and a though she did concede that maybe she wanted a family, that was all in the backseat at the moment. Casey new he didn't want to be the oldest dad in the classroom someday. He was nearing thirty-five and while that wasn't old by any means, he still didn't want to wait till he was in his mid to late forties to have kids like Halli wanted to do.

Even though Katie was five years younger than him she wanted those things. She wanted kids and a family and she didn't want to wait. She wanted a family sooner rather than later like he did. Whoever her kids were someday, Casey knew that they'd have a wonderful mother. Katie had a heart full of love and whoever she gave that heart to would get a wonderful woman. That person wasn't meant to be him however. Trying to push all thoughts of Katie out of his mind, Casey turned back to Halli with a smile and ushered her on to the next ice sculpture.

* * *

Katie looked over to see Casey standing closely to Halli looking at a sculpture of ice. Heat raced through her body and she nearly burst into tears seeing him. She was late and tomorrow her and Gracie had agreed that after school she'd take a pregnancy test. She'd tried earlier but she'd been so scared. Just seeing Matt again made her mind rush with worry. What-if's begun running through her mind and Katie knew she wasn't ready. She'd always wanted a family but she'd also imagined herself married before that happened. She hadn't slept well since she'd looked at her calendar and it was like she could get her mind to shut off.

Her first emotion was joy but the more and more she thought about it, she wasn't ready for a baby. She was barely speaking to Casey as it was and she didn't want to have a baby in the current situation that they were in. She knew the new norm now was for mother's to have children out of wedlock but the idea of that frightened her. There wouldn't be any help at home, it would just be her. Katie wasn't sure what Matt would do once he found out. It would be to hard to keep a secret like this from him. Shay would learn and then then tell Dawson who would let it slip to Casey and everything would end up being a massive cluster fuck.

She knew that for starters she needed to sit down and really think over everything. Having a baby was wonderful but it a life changing thing. She needed to make sure that she could feed the baby, clothe it, send it to school and such. Not to mention she needed to examine what she really wanted. The more Katie thought about it the more overwhelmed she felt.

Earlier at lunch, Gracie had quietly suggested that maybe Katie could look into terminating the baby. At first, Katie had been angry and upset that Gracie would ever suggest such a thing but the more Katie thought about everything, the more Gracie's suggestion made sense.

Was she really ready to play the unwed, single mother role? No.

Was she ready for a baby in her life? No.

As much as Katie didn't want to admit, Gracie was right. A termination would solve all her problems and Casey would never know about the baby. She wasn't doing it to punish him but she wasn't ready and Casey wanted a family with Halli, not her. Katie had barely scrapped the surface of what-if's and already she leaning towards having a termination. It wasn't a decision that was easy but rarely was such a difficult decision ever simple.

Watching Halli smile and kiss Matt, Katie could feel her scheduled nausea starting. Looking away, Katie hoped that she could get through the next hour and not throw-up in public. Feeling her phone vibrate in her coat pocket, Katie took it out and felt icy cold fear run through her veins as she read the text message.

_Happy New Year's Bitch!_

* * *

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**Extra long! Next chapter will be out Tuesday!**


	15. Fifteen: Impossible

**Author's Note:**

**Nice and long as promised! Enjoy!**

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!  
**

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen: Impossible**

"…_Someone told me I should take  
Caution when it comes to love  
I did, I did_

_And you were strong and I was not_  
_My illusion, my mistake_  
_I was careless, I forgot_  
_I did_

_And now when all is done there is nothing to say_  
_You have gone and so effortlessly_  
_You have won, you can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_  
_Shout it from the roof tops_  
_Write it on the sky line_  
_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_  
_And my heart is broken_  
_All my scars are open_

_Tell them what I hoped would be_  
_Impossible, impossible_  
_Impossible, impossible_

_Falling out of love is hard_  
_Falling for betrayal is worst_  
_Broken trust and broken hearts_  
_I know, I know_

_Thinking all you need is there_  
_Building faith on love and words_  
_Empty promises will wear_  
_I know, I know_

_And now when all is gone, there is nothing to say_  
_And if you're done with embarrassing me_  
_On your own you can go ahead tell them_

_Tell them all I know now_  
_Shout it from the roof tops_  
_Write it on the sky line_  
_All we had is gone now_

_Tell them I was happy_  
_And my heart is broken_  
_All my scars are open…"_

~ "Impossible" - Shontelle

**Friday…January 3…**

Katie stood in Gracie's bathroom nervously as she bit her thumb nail in a nervous habit she hadn't done in years. The moment of truth had come and she was so nervous. A part of her wished everything was a sick joke. That she could wake up tomorrow and tell Gracie her nightmare but it wasn't true. The two pregnancy tests that Gracie had picked up for her was on the counter and all Katie had to do was wait. Never had a few minutes felt like a life time. Sitting down on the edge of the tub, Katie covered her face with her hands and tried to fight the feeling of hopelessness that was spreading inside her.

She never felt so scared of the future at that moment and not even Gracie could sooth her worry. The only person she wanted was in love with another woman and had broken her heart. The timer on her iphone went off and Katie stood up on shaky legs to look at the results. In black lower case letters, the word 'pregnant' clearly appeared on both tests. Covering her mouth, Katie sank to the tile floor as tears rolled down her cheeks. Her biggest fear was now her reality.

"Gracie," she called out trying not to sound like she was completely sobbing, "I'm almost done! I'll be out of your hair soon."

Gracie said something. Katie didn't hear it as she put her back against the wall and pulled her knees to her chest. She tried to stop herself from sobbing but the more she tried the more she choked on her tears. After almost a half hour of sobbing, Katie pulled herself up and ran water. Splashing some on her face, Katie tried to fight more tears as everything that had been happening in the past few weeks made sense. The tiredness, nausea, vomiting…everything was finally explained and Katie hated the explanation.

Grabbing the tests and tossing them away, Katie opened the door and came face to face with a concerned looking Gracie.

"You're pregnant aren't you," the blond said with a small frown on her face, "That's why you've been crying for nearly forty minutes. I was getting ready to call your brother if you didn't come out soon."

Katie brushed away more tears before they ran down her cheek. Walking out to Gracie's kitchen, Katie sat down on one of the bar stools and let out a long sigh.

"What am I gonna?" she said as her voice broke a little, "God...this is such a mess."

"Well for starters do you know how far along you are?" Gracie asked getting out a bottle of water and sliding it across the granite counter top to Katie.

Katie closed her eyes and rubbed her forehead, "The birth control I was on for the past few years started making me sick sometime in August. I got off the pill then and Matt was using condoms. God, I thought we were so careful."

"Obviously not careful enough," Gracie quipped with a smile, "Was there any times where passion just took over and you guys forgot? Maybe a condom broke or something?"

Katie wracked her brains and then looked up at Gracie with a shocked face, "The night I broke up with him we had sex on the floor next to the dining room table. Oh, God!"

"Do you remember what day it was?" Gracie asked pulling out her phone and looking up the calendar app.

"November twenty-fifth. It was a Sunday."

"You're barely seven weeks Katie," Gracie said, "You still have options."

"I'm not even sure I want to have kids with Casey," Katie said as a new wave of tears hit, "I mean, I always wanted a husband and kids and all that but I…I just don't know if I'm ready for a baby. I don't know if I can handle this. I don't want to talk to Matt about it. He's just going to try and leave a Halli for me. I know him. He's always trying to do the honorable thing and the one time he tries to follow his heart, I get pregnant. God, this is such a mess. This isn't how I wanted to have kids at all."

"Katie, no one is saying you have to have a baby," Gracie said sitting down next to her, "You're not even far enough along that you don't have options. You do have options right now and now is the time to examine them. You just need to go home and think about this. Ask Kelly too. He's your brother and he loves you. No one knows what the best answer is but you and you alone. Whatever you decide to do, I will always love you. You're my friend and that's all that matters."

Katie nodded and stood up.

* * *

Kelly walked into the kitchen early Saturday morning to see that his sister hadn't moved an inch from where she'd been sitting the night before. She was still staring off into space and he wondered what was running through that head of hers. Grabbing two bowls, Kelly set one down in front of her and which luckily made her look at him.

"I'm not hungry," she whispered.

"You didn't eat last night," Kelly said with a shrug, "You've got to eat something."

Getting the milk and cereal out, Kelly made each a bowl before he sat down next to her.

"Are you gonna tell me why you've been sitting here all night like someone died?" he asked in between bites, "I'm worried about you."

Katie picked up the spoon and played with the cheerios in the bowl as she searched for words.

"Promise me that you'll just listen," she finally said.

Kelly stopped raising his spoon halfway to his mouth and looked at her, "What kind of trouble are you in?"

"The kind that no woman wants to be in," Katie mumbled before looking up at Kelly, "Do you promise you'll just listen?"

"Alright," Kelly said turning to face her and pushing away the cereal bowl, "Hit me."

Katie dropped her own spoon and looked down at the cheerios floating in the milk.

"The night Matt and I broke up…I wasn't completely honest with you Kelly," she said quietly.

"What?"

"You promised to be quiet," Katie snapped as Kelly raised his hands in surrender before she continued quietly, "The night I broke up with Matt…Kelly I slept with him before we broke up and now…I'm pregnant."

Kelly let out a long breath, "Can I speak now?"

Katie only nodded as she tried not to cry.

"Have you told him?" he asked gently, "Have you told Casey that you're expecting?"

Katie shook her head and looked up at him, "No and I'm not going to. I plan on calling my doctor this morning and terminating the pregnancy. I'm not ready to be a parent and I don't want…I don't want to be in a situation like this Kelly. He's in love with Halli and he wants everything that I can't give him. Having his baby…Kelly…it will kill me to look at this child and know that a part of it belongs to a man I can never have. Besides, I don't…I don't want this path. This wasn't planned and I can't do this. I just can't. I know every excuse I can give sounds weak and awful but it's the truth Kelly."

"How long have you know?"

"I suspected on New Year's and I confirmed it yesterday with a pregnancy test."

"Katie that's only three days," Kelly said quickly, "Three days isn't enough time to make such a huge decision like this. You should talk to Matt. If you honestly think he wouldn't love that baby and make sure that both you and that baby were taken care of before anything else, you don't know him at all."

"I don't doubt Matt. I just…I can't be a parent with him and now that he's with Halli. Kelly...all I want is a clean break from him and this just blew up in my face. I honestly don't want baby," Katie sighed, "I've thought about it enough."

"But you haven't talk to Matt," Kelly pressed, "You love him. I know you do. You terminate your pregnancy without telling him Katie it's gonna haunt you for the rest of your life. I don't know what Casey would do if he found but he'll be angry that you didn't talk to him. That much I know for certain."

"I'm not ready," Katie yelled at him as tears fell down her cheeks, "Jesus! Kelly don't you get that. I thought that by the time I wanted to start a family I'd be married and live in a nice house with a husband! I didn't think that the father of my child would be in love with another woman and drop me on my head practically to go running back to be with her! I didn't plan any of this to happen! I know that talking to Casey is a good idea but every time I see him it's like my heart breaks all over again! Now I'm carrying a piece of him with me all the time and I can't stop thinking about the what-if's and planning out what should have been a happy ending in my head! I can't do this. I just can't Kelly."

Katie covered her face with her hands as she sobbed. Life shouldn't be as hard as it was being and yet it was being so brutal. The one person she wanted she couldn't have and it was breaking her inside. It was like being torture slowly. Her heart was breaking slowly and piece broke in tiny piece that left her wondering if her heart could ever be put back together. One thing Katie knew was that this baby would only break her heart more. It would be like having a piece of Casey but never having the real thing.

Strong arms wrapped around her and Katie only sobbed harder into Kelly chest as he kissed the top of her head. He'd never seen his little sister so upset. It was obvious she'd already made up her mind on what she wanted to do. Holding her tightly, Kelly knew there wasn't much he could do for her to change her mind. A part of him was yelling at himself to tell Matt and another part was saying that it was between Katie and Matt. All he could do was be the loving brother he'd always been for his sisters.

"Just tell me what day and the time and I'll take you Katie," he said softly.

* * *

**Monday…January 13…**

Kelly sat in the waiting room at the hospital. Katie had decided to abort the pregnancy. He didn't agree with her decision but he loved her and was going to support her no matter what. He hadn't wanted her to make a decision without talking to Casey but Katie had been adamant that she didn't want to talk to him. She'd shut him down whenever he brought up the topic of talking to Matt. Ever since their conversation, Katie had been set in that her mind that she was terminating the pregnancy.

Sitting in the uncomfortable chair, Kelly tried to stop thinking about his sister and Matt. It had always been obvious that Casey had wanted a family. He loved kids and was so good with them. If he ever found out about Katie aborting this pregnancy and not talking to him, Kelly couldn't imagine how upset Casey would be. He'd tried as much as he could to convince Katie to just call Matt but nothing could change her mind. Katie was adamant about what she was going to do and stubborn as a mule when she made up her mind. Changing it was almost impossible.

Working with Casey had been difficult since Darden's death. They'd finally gotten over it and their friendship was back on track thanks to Katie but this…this would change everything. Kelly wasn't sure how he would be able to go to work every day and not think about Katie's decision or how he couldn't tell Casey anything every time he looked at the man. Seeing Katie coming down the hall, Kelly stood up quickly. A smile came across his face knowing just from her body language that she'd already changed her mind.

* * *

Katie looked down at the ultrasound picture in awe. Before the doctor had even talked about the termination, he told her he was required by law to perform and ultrasound and find a heartbeat. Katie had nearly cried because she knew it would be torture but hearing the swooshing of a beating heart had nearly made her burst into tears. Just hearing it and realizing that she and Matt had created a heartbeat together was amazing. Walking down the hallway to where Kelly was sitting, Katie stared at the picture even more. It wasn't much of a picture but she smiled wondering if the baby would look more like her or Casey. She was so curious to know if it was a boy or girl too. She hoped if it was a boy that he'd look just like Casey. Tall and handsome with a smile that made anyone feel special.

"What's that?" Kelly asked

Katie looked up with a smile and proudly held out the ultrasound for Kelly to see.

"Your niece or nephew," she grinned as Kelly stood next to here.

"Wow," he said not really sure what he was looking at, "Looks like a blob to be honest."

"Here's the head, spine and feet," Katie said as she pointed out the landmarks she'd just described to him.

"What did the doctor say?" Kelly asked as they walked towards the elevators.

"Right now I'm about nine weeks along," Katie said as she stared up at the floors as they lit up indicating which floor the elevator had passed, "I'm due at the end of July this summer. I have to get pre-natal vitamins and the doctor wants me to rest more. He wasn't happy when I told him how much I've been throwing up."

Kelly nodded. He was in agreement with the doctor and was happy his sister had moved in with him and Shay. She did need to sleep and eat more now that she was pregnant and Kelly could already hear Shay in his head going berserk over labels and baby proofing the hell out of the apartment. Just as Kelly was about to reply the doors opened to reveal Halli standing on the elevator.

"Hi," she smiled at both of them politely.

Katie crumpled the ultrasound picture in her hands.

"Hello Halli," she said quietly and Kelly could see Katie fighting to keep herself in check from saying anything else or crying. Guiding his baby sister onto the elevator, Kelly put himself in between Halli and Katie.

"What are you guys doing here?" Halli asked with a smile, "I thought you and Casey were still on the same shifts together Kelly."

"A friend of ours just found out she's gonna be a mother," Kelly lied, "We wanted to come and support her. Father of the kid isn't all that interested."

"I'm sorry," Halli said sympathetically, "That's awful. At least she has wonderful friends."

The elevator came to a halt on the ground floor and Katie all but ran out of the elevator with Kelly following behind her.

"Have a nice day Halli," he called over his shoulder trying not to be mean.

Halli had popped the bubble of joy that Katie had encased herself in and it angered him. She'd been genuinely happy until Halli had shown up and brought the reality back with her.

* * *

**Wednesday…January 15…**

When the alarms had gone off that morning requesting Truck 81, Rescue Squad 3 and Ambulance 61, Kelly's heart nearly stopped in his chest. The voice over the intercom system clearly stated Katie's school address and Kelly hoped like hell nothing had happened to her. She'd been having two straight days of brutal morning sickness and it was starting to take its toll on her. Earlier in the morning she'd been dizzy and light headed before he'd left for work. Kelly had tried to convince her to call off work and see a doctor but Katie had refused saying that work helped her feel better once she got moving. They'd both known she was lying and that she was only going to work so she wouldn't have to think about the encounters she'd had with Halli and Casey in the past few weeks. Getting up into the rig with Hadley driving, Kelly tapped his hand impatiently on the door next to him as they followed Truck 81 down the road.

"Why are you so nervous Severide?" Holden, one of the other guys on rescue squad asked with a teasing smile.

"Shut it Holden," Kelly snapped not say anything else until they were pulling up into the schools parking lot a few minutes later. Orders were quickly given and soon enough they were all on the move looking for the source of the fire and found it quickly. Some punk ass kid had been smoking in the bathroom and the trash had caught on fire...

Casey looked around the parking lot as he took his helmet off. When he spotted who he was looking for, he walked in that direction. Kelly was standing at the back of the ambulance with Shay. Katie had Severide's coat wrapped around her as Shay took her blood pressure. The moment they'd arrived Casey had spotted her in the crowd. She'd been doing a head count of some of the student. When the principle had come by she'd nodded at him and moved to stand next to Gracie Harper. The two women had been talking when he'd gone into the building and they'd been talking up until the point when Kelly had gone over to retrieve Katie.

"Blood pressure is a little low," Shay said as Casey walked over, "Blood sugar is a little low too. That's probably why you were feeling dizzy. Have a juice box and cookies."

"See?" Katie said as Shay took off the blood pressure cuff, "I'm fine."

"You still look sick," Kelly said, "Are you sure you're not going to go home and rest?"

"I have work to do," Katie reasoned as she shrugged off the coat. Handing it to Kelly, Katie turned and for a second time nearly walked into him. Casey reached out to steady her and the feeling of her cool skin against him warm hands sent shock waves through his body. Kelly was right Casey acknowledged as he looked at her. Dark circles marred the skin beneath her eyes and she looked visibly thinner than before. She was so pale that her skin almost had a greyish tint to it that even make-up couldn't hide. The only word that he thought could describe her was frail. She looked like a gust of wind would blow her over and Casey felt so worried. Before he could say anything, Katie yanked herself away from his gentle grasps and turned back to Kelly.

"I'll see you both later," she said with a smile to Shay and Kelly, "Bye."

Katie completely ignored him and began walking to the school. Without thinking, Casey turned to follow her. He followed her all the way to her office and not once did Katie acknowledge that he was behind her. Following her inside, he watched as Katie grabbed her coat from her coat stand and look at him tiredly.

"What do want Casey?" she asked as she slipped on her dress coat, "I'm busy."

"Are you going home?"

"Considering that school has been dismissed for the day because some little punk thought it would be cool to light the trash can in the bathroom on fire, I am going to go run some errands then go home and work. Everyone is going home in case you missed it."

Casey watched her as she unlocked a drawer in her desk and grabbed her black bag from inside.

"Are you alright?" He asked her as he watched dig through the back looking for something.

Katie looked up at him with an angry expression.

"Stop it," she snapped.

"Stop what?" Casey asked feeling confused.

"Stop pretending to be caring and stop trying to be sweet. You don't get to tell me you're in love with another woman and then keep doing this whole caring act thing. It doesn't work."

"I do care about you," he defended telling the truth.

"You might care about me Casey but you have a funny way of showing it," Katie nearly yelled at him, "You don't get to have it both ways. You picked Halli. Not me! That was the end of us and anything we could have had together. You don't have the right to care about me. What's going on in my life is none of your business so stop asking if I'm okay!"

Katie grabbed her bag and tossed it over her shoulder as she walked around him. She stood in the doorway of the office and the look of sadness that briefly crossed her face nearly crushed Casey's heart, "Please, just leave me alone Casey. I'm begging you."

Without another word, Katie flipped off the lights in the office and left Casey standing in the office alone.

* * *

**Thursday…January 16… **

Casey sat at his kitchen table staring at the floor. In his mind, the night he and Katie broke up was playing like a song on repeat over and over again. He could see them on the floor. He was between her thighs and he could almost feel the heel of her foot resting on his lower back. Her nails dug into the skin of his back as he moved inside her warmth. Casey could hear their grunts, moans and cries of passion as they both fell over the edge of complete pleasure and he could remember calling out one particular thing that night when he'd had his release.

Halli's name.

He'd called out Halli's name that night and Katie had said nothing to him. She'd ignored it and had said nothing to him. Only now did Casey wish he'd called out her name. He wished he'd loved her with all his heart that night like she had him. Looking back he'd could almost hear her saying 'I love you' with her body. She'd given him everything and he'd smashed a wonderful thing. Probably one of the best things that had ever happened to him had been smashed on the floor he was staring at.

He and Halli were having problems and Casey acknowledged that Katie was one of those issues between them. He'd accidentally called Halli Katie on more than one occasion when they were talking. Halli had been so angry with him and accused him of wanting to be with another woman. He'd denied it immediately but that had been a lie. The more he sat and thought about, the more Casey realized that Dawson had been right. He was in love with the idea of him and Halli but there was too much history between them. Too much anger, too much resentment, too much pain and at the end of the day Casey wasn't sure that Halli wanted him as much as she proclaimed she did. The moment they'd gotten back together she'd resumed working long hours and was hardly around. He felt more like a security blanket to her than the man she loved.

The loop in his head started playing again and Casey tried desperately to shut it off. Closing his eyes, Matt tried to focus on anything but that night but the harder he tried the more the memory played leaving him feeling empty inside. A hand reached out and grabbed his shoulder making him open his eyes. Halli stood next to him with a soft smile on her face.

"You alright?" she asked sitting down on the kitchen chair next to him. He didn't reply as silence settled over them. After a few minutes Halli's smile turned into a frown.

"Matt?"

"I'm wondering if it was a mistake for us to get back together," Casey said softly to Halli.

* * *

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	16. Sixteen: I Almost Do

**Author's Note: **

**Thanks to everyone who left a review! **

**All Errors Are My Own:( Sorry!**

* * *

**Chapter Sixteen: I Almost Do**

"…_And I just want to tell you  
It takes everything in me not to call you  
And I wish I could run to you  
And I hope you know every time I don't  
I almost do  
I almost do_

_I bet you think I either moved on or hate you_  
_Because each time you reach out there's no reply_  
_I bet it never ever occurred to you that I can't say hello to you_  
_And risk another goodbye_

_And I just want to tell you_  
_It takes everything in me not to call you_  
_And I wish I could run to you_  
_And I hope you know that every time I don't_  
_I almost do_  
_I almost do_

_Oh we made quite a mess babe_  
_It's probably better off this way_  
_And I confess babe_  
_In my dreams you're touching my face_  
_And asking me if I want to try again with you_  
_And I almost do_

_And I just want to tell you_  
_It takes everything in me not to call you_  
_And I wish I could run to you_  
_And I hope you know that every time I don't_  
_I almost do…"_

~ "I Almost Do" – Taylor Swift

**Friday…January 17…**

Kelly winced hearing Katie in the bathroom losing the contents of the breakfast she'd tried to eat earlier. She didn't have morning sickness in his opinion instead she had all day sickness. He'd promised to help her move some boxes in her office on his day off but a prosecutor had called him in desperate need of an emergency witness who had a background in firefighting to talk about search and rescue and testify against a fire bug that they were close to losing because their retired witness who was a rescue squad leader with twenty-five plus years of experience had shown up drunk.

"Call me if you need anything Katie," Kelly yelled through the door.

"I'll be fine," Katie's muffled voice said, "The boxes aren't too heavy."

"Don't move them without help!"

"I'll be fine Kelly. Go."

Shaking his head, Kelly grabbed his jacket and wallet. Checking to make sure his tie was straight one last time before he left, Severide grabbed his phone. He knew it was only six in the morning but he was pretty damn sure that Casey would help Katie. After overhearing Shay and Dawson talking about how Halli and Casey were falling apart quickly, Severide knew that other man would gladly try to get back into Katie's good graces.

"This is Casey," a tired voice said.

"What are you up to?" Kelly asked.

"Trying to drink my coffee in peace," Casey grumbled, "Why are you calling me at six in the morning?"

"If you want bonus points with my sister I have them for you. Katie needs help moving a few things."

A silence on the other end of the phone made Kelly grin.

"What does she need help with?" Casey asked quickly.

"I guess they're switching offices at school or something like that and she needs help moving a few boxes. Think you can manage?" Kelly said as he locked the front door of the apartment behind him.

"What time?"

"Four this afternoon. It's up at the school she works at."

"Alright," Casey said, "I'll be there."

Kelly disconnected the call and grinned as he walked to the elevator very pleased with himself.

* * *

**4:00 PM...**

Casey walked into the school building and looked around. Classes had only been out for an hour but it was deserted already and it brought a smile to Casey's face. He could remember being the same way as a kid. He wanted out of school as soon as possible too. Once that bell rang it meant freedom and he was out the door. Walking down the hallway, Casey spotted Gracie Harper leaving a classroom. She looked at him with wide eyes and surprise was written across her face.

"What are you doing here?" she snapped crossing her arms over her chest.

"I'm here to help Katie," Casey said realizing he was about to get the best friend hates the ex-boyfriend treatment.

"Kelly was coming to help. I was actually looking forward to seeing him. I needed to clear a few things up with him."

"He called me and told me to come. So here I am," Casey shrugged.

Gracie rolled her eyes, "Katie isn't going to happy to see you."

"I know," he said, "But I'm here anyway."

Gracie sighed and shook her head at Casey, "Katie is in her office. They're playing musical offices down in the administration section. She's there waiting for Kelly to show up and she's gonna probably scream when she sees you."

"Thanks Gracie."

Casey moved away from Gracie and walked down the hall towards the main office. Going inside, he told the secretary who was present who he was and why he was there. With a smile, she pointed him towards Katie's office. The door was open and he could hear movement inside the office. Stopping in the doorway, Casey watched as Katie stood at the paper shredder and pushed paper through at a quick pace. At black long sleeve shirt was loose around her body and the boat neck cut of the shirt was modest. Her pearl earrings were on and a cross necklace in sliver stood out against her black shirt. Her hair was braided back and grey dress pants looked loose on her curves. Grey ballet flats covered her feet and despite her well put together appearance, Casey thought she looked exhausted. Knocking on the frame of the door, Katie's head jerked up and she looked at him.

"What the hell are you doing here?" she snapped at him as she put the last paper in that needed to be shredded.

"Kelly said you needed help moving boxes," Matt told her trying to be calm, "So here I am."

She was angry at him and getting angry at her for yelling at him wouldn't solve anything. It would only make things worse and if Casey was honest with himself, Katie had every reason to be angry at him.

"I don't need any help," she snapped back as she turned away quickly from him trying to ignore the dizziness that overcame her as she turned too quickly.

"Katie just tell me what you need done and I'll leave," Matt reasoned to her quietly, "I promise."

"I told you to leave me alone Matthew! What part of that don't you understand?" Katie yelled at him, "I want you to leave me alone! Please get out of my office and my life! Go!"

Katie swayed a little on her feet and Casey was at her side in an instant.

"Are you alright?" he asked reaching out to hold her arms.

She jerked herself away from him and it was a mistake. Casey watched her eyes roll back and her form crumple. Catching her before she could hit her head on anything, Casey cradled the back of her head as he lowered her to the ground pushing the office chair out of the way. The secretary must have heard the yelling because she appeared in the door way with a concerned expression.

"Is she alright?"

"She fainted," Casey said seeing Katie blink and turn her head, "Do you know if she has ate or drank anything today."

"She skipped lunch and has been working none stop all day. I haven't seen her take any breaks," the secretary said with worry, "Should I call an ambulance?"

"No," Katie groaned softly, "I don't need an ambulance."

"When was the last time you ate or drank today?" Matt asked.

When Katie tried to sit up, he gently pushed her back down to the floor.

"I'm fine," Katie argued, "Let me sit up."

"Should I call?" the secretary asked him again as she pointedly ignored Katie.

"No," Casey said as he gently ran his fingers through Katie's dark hair, "A meal and some fluids should help."

The secretary nodded and left them alone.

"Why am I on the floor Matthew?" Katie asked as opened her eyes, "And why the hell are you touching me?"

Casey stilled his hand. He hadn't even realized he'd been running his fingers through her silky hair. He'd always done that when they'd laid in bed together and it had just become a habit. Something he didn't even realize he missed doing.

"You just fainted," Casey told her gently, "Do you think you can sit up?"

Katie nodded and slowly sat up with his help. Casey moved her so that she sat against the desk. The blood slowly returned to her head and the black dots that had spotted her vision was gone.

"I was fine till you showed up," Katie grumbled, "This is all your fault."

"Well you shouldn't yell at me," Casey grinned as he looked up to see the secretary returning with some apple juice.

"You deserve to be yelled at," she sighed as she accepted the apple juice that was given to her. Taking small sips, Katie closed her eyes and leaned her head back and tried to adjust to everything. She still felt light headed but she wasn't going to tell Matt that. He'd probably insist that she go to the hospital and she didn't want him find out about the baby just yet. She still needed time and this wasn't how she wanted him find out.

"How about we go get you some food and then I'll take you home," Casey proposed, "I'll pick you up tomorrow afternoon and we can move the boxes that need moved together. Is that fair?"

"Fine," she said quietly, "Just give me a minute and then we can go."

* * *

Katie slipped into the booth across from Casey and tried to think of anything but the nausea she felt from the smells around her. Part of her really didn't want to be at the restaurant with Casey. Yes, it was nice that he was being kind to her and buying her dinner but his motive wasn't clear and that made Katie feel unsettled.

If Casey was still dating Halli like Shay had told her, Katie wanted to run far away. She was done playing the 'other woman' part and she wasn't going to play it again no matter what, even if she didn't like Halli. Just sitting with Casey felt like the hole in her chest was widening and it almost physically hurt. The knowledge that she was carrying his baby made her heart ache even more. She longed to tell him but something held her back every time. She didn't know what it was but over and over again her instincts told her to keep her mouth shut for some reason and she trusted them.

"How long have you been feeling dizzy?" Matt asked her once they were settled in the booth, "Have you seen a doctor?"

"Does Halli know you're having dinner with me or is this a secret meeting?" Katie shot back. She couldn't help the poison that dripped into the question. She was angry at him and she wasn't afraid to show it.

Casey leaned back and sighed, "Halli and I are going through a rough patch right now. She hasn't talked to me in a few days ever since…"

"Ever since what?"

"Ever since I told her I think that getting back together with her was a mistake," Casey finished and looked at her cautiously.

"So I'm playing back up again? Wonderful," Katie said grabbing her coat next to her, "Thanks for dinner Casey but no thanks."

He winced when she called him by his last name but he reached out and grabbed her arm, "Stay."

"Why should I?" Katie asked, "Please give me one very damn good reason why the hell I should stay."

"Because I'm your ride home and you're insane if you think that I'm going to let you take a cab or something home," he told her, "If something happened to you I don't think I could forgive myself and your brother would probably kill me."

Katie resisted the urge to roll her eyes at him. She didn't care what happened to him and she didn't want to stick around to hear about any fight he'd had with Halli or Kelly. She didn't think her heart could take hearing everything.

"As long I don't have to hear anything about Halli…I'll stay," Katie bargained quietly.

"Deal," Casey said quickly.

Katie slipped back into the booth as a waitress walked over with a smile. They both ordered water for their drink and Casey asked for some fries as an appetizer. The idea of food being placed down in front of her made Katie's stomach roll in revolt but she managed to smile and give Casey a nod when he asked if fries were alright to order.

They slipped into an uncomfortable silence after the waitress left and Katie didn't know what to say to him. There was so much she wanted to yell at him for. So much she wanted to blame him for and yet she couldn't get any words to come out of her mouth. It was like she was frozen with time and soon enough, the waitress came back with their glasses of water and the fries. The smell of the fries hit Katie so hard that it was all she could to stop herself from getting up and running away as she closed her eyes tightly. Casey must have dismissed the waitress because when she opened her eyes again he was staring at her. His hazel eyes were full of concern and she gently shook her head.

"I'm just not feeling good," she told him quietly as she reached for some fries.

"Are you feeling dizzy again?" he asked her with concern, "Eating something should help with that. Your secretary said you hadn't eaten lunch and she hadn't seen you drink anything recently both those things can make people feel dizzy."

"I'm fine," Katie lied, "I just have a stomach bug of some kind."

"Have you seen a doctor about it? Maybe they can give you something for it," Matt said as he picked up a few fries and dipped them in the cup of ketchup that had come with the platter.

"I've already seen a doctor. She told me that I'll get over it soon enough," she told him as she picked up a few fries to eat. She wasn't really lying to him she told herself. She was just omitting facts about the real situation because she wasn't ready to tell him the truth. It didn't make her a bad or weak person. It just meant that she was human.

"Did you get a second opinion?"

"No. I trust my doctor. How's work?"

Eating the fries slowly, Katie zoned out about what Matt was saying. She knew logically she had to eat but the nausea was making it almost impossible. She'd counted the fries she was having and by the seventh one, the feeling of sickness was coming at her with a vengeance. The perky waitress came back and quickly Katie ordered a salad while Matt ordered a steak of some kind. Even the idea of smelling more food make her stomach roll worse than ever before.

"Could you take me home," she asked him after managing to pull herself together enough to speak, "I really don't feel good."

"You've barely eaten anything," Casey pointed out.

"Matt please, can we please just go?" Katie nearly begged him. She felt sick to her stomach smelling all the food in the place and she was certain that she was going to throw up. Quickly getting up and walking to the bathroom, Katie barely made it into the stall before she was puking the little bit of food she'd eaten from the appetizer Matt had ordered. After nearly ten minutes, Katie was able to splash some water on her face and rinse her mouth out. Shakily opening the door to the bathroom, Katie saw Matt standing a few feet away with another concerned look on his face.

"Are you alright?"

"Stop asking me that," Katie snapped, "I don't feel good."

"Does Kelly know you've been sick?"

"Yes," Katie snapped again, "Can we please go?"

Casey didn't say anything but let Katie take the lead. He followed her out the door to his truck and he managed to open the door before she could. The look she sent him Casey ignored as he closed the door. He walked around the truck and stuck the containers of food the waitress had given him in the backseat. Climbing in, Katie's gave him directions to where she was staying and they spent the entire ride in silence.

* * *

Casey walked down the hall next to her. She stopped at a door he recognized as Severide's place. He watched as she slipped a key out from the wood paneling next to the door and unlocked the front door. Katie stopped before actually opening the door and turned to him.

"Matt…please do not think that because I had dinner with you and talk…do not think I want you back. Kelly said that you and Halli are having problems but I'm not your…I can't be the person the you talk to anymore. I meant what I said about you leaving me alone. You and I…we can't do this. So please stop hurting me."

The little flame of hope that Casey had in his chest burned out as quickly as it had been ignited and he didn't know what to say or even if he could say anything. Casey knew he'd hurt her but he didn't ever think she'd withdraw herself so completely that she'd be unreachable to him. The problem Casey realized was that he hadn't thought about Katie. He'd been so fixated on Halli and being with Halli that he'd taken Katie's heart and smashed it. He'd already come to terms with the fact that he didn't really love Halli as much as he loved the idea of them together. In the end, he'd been so confused and he'd recklessly destroyed a future that could have been wonderfully bright and happy.

Dawson had been right when she'd told him to get over Halli and focus on building a future with Katie. Casey wondered what life would be like if he hadn't blown up his relationship with Katie. Would he have asked her to marry him yet? Would they be planning a family first then marriage? The what-if swirled in his mind as he looked at her. Some color had returned to her cheek but she still looked exhausted and Casey wondered if he contributed to her exhaustion. Was she exhausted from being around him or had he broken her heart so badly that it was all she could do to go about her day and try to function normally?

Nodding at her words, Casey reached down beside her and turned the door knob. He was close enough that he could kiss her lips and he could smell her perfume. It was something familiar to him that she'd always worn but he'd never asked what it was. All he knew was that when he kissed her skin and she wore that perfume it only made his whole body burn more for her. Her crystal blue eyes met his and the sadness in them nearly knocked him off his feet again. He'd known for a while that he was the source of her pain but it didn't lessen the intensity of what it made him feel when he saw her sadness. He'd never wanted to be the source of her sadness and yet he was.

"Thanks," Katie whispered as her eyes dropped to look at his lips.

For a brief moment he could have sworn she was going to lean in and kiss him. If she had, Casey wouldn't have been able to control himself. Wanting Halli seemed like a walk in the park compared to how much it hurt to wanting Katie. He had never wanted someone as much as he wanted Katie and it shocked him.

"I should go," she said quietly as she turned away from him.

"I should go too," Casey added trying to come up with something to say that wouldn't leave him feeling like an idiot, "I've got work tomorrow."

Katie dropped her bag inside on the table Casey knew that was there and nodded.

"Goodbye Casey," she said and just before she closed the door, Casey put his hand up to stop her.

She looked at him nervously, "Matt?"

"Is there or would there ever be a shot in hell that you would give me a second chance Katie? I know I hurt you so badly and I'm so sorry. Is there ever a chance of you forgiving me?" he asked her hoping that she said yes.

"Second chances are given Matthew," she told him as she hugged herself tightly, "There earned and…I don't…I'm done looking for love. If it means that all I'm going to get is heart break over and over again then I don't want it. So no, you don't have a shot in hell. Goodnight."

Katie closed the door and Casey felt like his heart had dropped to his stomach. Turning to leave, he wondered for a moment if what he was feeling was anywhere close to the pain he'd caused Katie. If it was, he agreed with her. He didn't deserve a second chance.

* * *

Katie pulled back the covers of her bed and hoped that she could get some sleep before she found herself puking her guts out again later. Every part of her had wanted to kiss Matt earlier when he'd been so close to her but something had stopped her. A little film clip replayed over and over again in her head of earlier in the evening. Casey had been so close to her. The urge to kiss him had been so strong but the pain he'd caused was stronger. It might feel good in the moment to kiss him but later she'd feel horrible and guilty as hell over it.

Besides, she had not only herself to think about now. She had her baby and she didn't want her child put through the ringer because of her stupid choices. Casey was what she wanted but not what she needed. At this point in her life she needed to make good decisions for herself and for the baby. While Casey was what she wanted, he couldn't be what she needed. His past with Halli was too complex and she wasn't willing to risk him ever leaving her again for Halli. She didn't think her heart could take it and she didn't want her child to go through any kind of pain involved with parents breaking up. She'd seen enough children in her lifetime who were confused and upset because of what had happened between parents and she didn't want that for her child.

Crawling in between the cool sheets, Katie laid back closed her eyes. She knew that she needed to start taking better care of herself like Casey had said earlier. If he'd knew that she was pregnant he'd be all over her like a bee to a flower. Kelly was bad enough and Shay was even worse than Kelly about taking care of herself. Shay even packed a lunch for her every day and went on and on about how her niece or nephew liked good nutritional food and sleep. It brought a smile to Katie's face briefly but the thought of food made her feel sick. She'd fainted today because of the nausea and even though she'd called her doctor and made an appointment, Katie knew that Kelly would be all over her tomorrow morning about it. If Casey had known that she was pregnant he probably would have taken her straight to the ER and not to dinner and knowing Kelly, he would have backed Casey.

Just as sleep was about to take her, Katie's phone on the night stand buzzed and she picked it up and looked at the message. It was a picture message from an unlisted number. Opening the message, Katie looked at the picture and covered her mouth to prevent the scream that threatened to escape her mouth. It was the picture of Matt opening the door when their lips were so close to touching and it wasn't as scary as the message beneath it.

_Don't even fucking think about you bitch if you value your life. _

Pushing back the covers, Katie slipped on her silk robe and quickly went down the steps.

"Kelly," she said quickly as she knocked on the door to his bedroom.

He was half dressed when he opened the door but he was alert and awake.

"What's wrong?" he asked worriedly, "Are you hurt?"

Katie held up the phone and showed him the message before bursting into tears.

* * *

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**So, Greg's back and Casey is starting to realize how badly he screwed up! Thanks to all my wonderful readers for reading! Leave a review and let me know what you think! I have lots of you guys reading but hardly anyone reviewing! I love reviews and I always reply! Let me know what you think below!  
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**Last chapter there was a review that wanted to know what I imagined Katie to look like and I did create a few ideas of what I imagine her to look like on Polyvore. The link to that is on my author's page and it is under the collection entitled A NEW START. If you look around my page too you'll see a collection for the new Harry Potter Fanfic I've been working on in my spare time as well as my Pretty Little Liars collection for my story THE REAL THING! Check it out!  
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**See you next Sunday!**

**R4L**


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